Ultrastructure and gliding motility of Mycoplasma amphoriforme, a possible human respiratory pathogen

• Published in: Microbiology (Society for General Microbiology) Vol. 152; no. 7; pp. 2181 - 2189
• Main Authors: Hatchel, Jennifer M, Balish, Rebecca S, Duley, Matthew L, Balish, Mitchell F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Reading Soc General Microbiol 01.07.2006; Society for General Microbiology
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Microbiology; Movement; Mycoplasma - pathogenicity; Mycoplasma - physiology; Mycoplasma - ultrastructure; Mycoplasma gallisepticum; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; Virulence; Mollicutes; Human; Respiratory tract; Mycoplasmatales; Scanning electron microscopy; Ultrastructure; Pathogenic; Gliding pressure; Mycoplasma pneumoniae; Bacteria; Adhesion; Mycoplasmataceae
• ISSN: 1350-0872; 1465-2080
• DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.28905-0

1 Department of Microbiology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA 2 Department of Zoology and Miami University Electron Microscopy Facility, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA Correspondence Mitchell F. Balish BalishMF{at}MUOhio.edu Despite their small size and reduced genomes, many mycoplasma cells have complex structures involved in virulence. Mycoplasma pneumoniae has served as a model for the study of virulence factors of a variety of mycoplasma species that cause disease in humans and animals. These cells feature an attachment organelle, which mediates cytadherence and gliding motility and is required for virulence. An essential component of the architecture of the attachment organelle is an internal detergent-insoluble structure, the electron-dense core. Little information is known regarding its underlying mechanisms. Mycoplasma amphoriforme , a close relative of both M. pneumoniae and the avian pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum , is a recently discovered organism associated with chronic bronchitis in immunosuppressed individuals. This work describes both the ultrastructure of M. amphoriforme strain A39 T as visualized by scanning electron microscopy and the gliding motility characteristics of this organism on glass. Though externally resembling M. gallisepticum , M. amphoriforme cells were found to have a Triton X-100-insoluble structure similar to the M. pneumoniae electron-dense core but with different dimensions. M. amphoriforme also exhibited gliding motility using time-lapse microcinematography; its movement was slower than that of either M. pneumoniae or M. gallisepticum . Abbreviations: SEM, scanning electron microscopy; TN, Tris-NaCl buffer; TX, Triton X-100