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PMID: 9126441 Published · ppublish English Historical Article Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. Review

Mycoplasmas: sophisticated, reemerging, and burdened by their notoriety.

Emerging infectious diseases ·Vol. 3 ·No. 1 ·1997-00-00 ·Pages 21-32

Baseman JB, Tully JG

Abstract

Mycoplasmas are most unusual self-replicating bacteria, possessing very small genomes, lacking cell wall components, requiring cholesterol for membrane function and growth, using UGA codon for tryptophan, passing through "bacterial-retaining" filters, and displaying genetic economy that requires a strict dependence on the host for nutrients and refuge. In addition, many of the mycoplasmas pathogenic for humans and animals possess extraordinary specialized tip organelles that mediate their intimate interaction with eucaryotic cells. This host-adapted survival is achieved through surface parasitism of target cells, acquisition of essential biosynthetic precursors, and in some cases, subsequent entry and survival intracellularly. Misconceptions concerning the role of mycoplasmas in disease pathogenesis can be directly attributed to their biological subtleties and to fundamental deficits in understanding their virulence capabilities. In this review, we highlight the biology and pathogenesis of these procaryotes and provide new evidence that may lead to increased appreciation of their role as human pathogens.

MeSH Terms
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/complications Animals Arthritis/etiology Bacterial Adhesion Cell Transformation, Neoplastic Crohn Disease/etiology History, 20th Century Humans Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/complications Mycoplasma/pathogenicity,physiology Mycoplasma Infections/complications,etiology,history Mycoplasma pneumoniae/pathogenicity,ultrastructure Persian Gulf Syndrome/etiology
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Baseman J B
Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio 78284-7758, USA. baseman@uthscsa.edu
Tully J G
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Article Info
Journal
Emerging infectious diseases
Abbr.
Emerg Infect Dis
ISSN
1080-6040
DOI
10.3201/eid0301.970103
Email
baseman@uthscsa.edu
Published
1997-00-00
Pages
21-32
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
9508155
PMCID
PMC2627593
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 27873 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 32829 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 41010 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.3201/eid0301.970103 PMC Full Text View journal details
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