| Species/Subspecies: | Mycoplasmoides pneumoniae | ||||||||
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| Categories: | Motile; primarily of interest in human medicin | ||||||||
| Etymology: | Genus name: similar to mycoplasma (fungus shaped). Species epithet: of pneumonia. | ||||||||
| Significance: | [Important] | ||||||||
| Alternative Species Name(s): | Mycoplasma pneumoniae | ||||||||
| Taxonomy: | Class Mollicutes Order Mycoplasmoidales Family Mycoplasmoidaceae Genus Mycoplasmoides |
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| Type Strain: | FH = ATCC 15531 = NCTC 10119. | ||||||||
| Macromorphology (smell): | Forms small and very typical umbonated colonies ("fried egg appearance"), which can be observed in a microscope. | ||||||||
| Micromorphology: | Very small and flask shaped or pleomorphic. This bacterium is motile and can glide on surfaces. | ||||||||
| Gram +/Gram -: | G-, but is normally not gram stained because the cells will then be fragmented. | ||||||||
| Metabolism: | Striktly aerobic (cf. other mycoplasmas). Energy source: glucose (pH is increased). | ||||||||
| Catalase/Oxidase: | ?/- | ||||||||
| Spec. Char.: | Lacks a cell wall. Optimal growth temperature: 37°C. | ||||||||
| Disease: | Atypical pneumonia
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| Genome Sequence: |
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| 16S rRNA Seq.: |
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| Taxonomy/phylogeny:
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About 10 species have been described within the genus Mycoplasmoides. M. pneumoniae is rather closely related to M. gallisepticum. See the phylogenetic tree (Fig. 39:1) where M can mean: Mycoplasma, Mesomycoplasma, Metamycoplasma, Mycoplasmoides or Mycoplasmopsis. | ||||||||
| Comment: | Mycoplasmas are naturally resistant to penicillin (and other beta-lactams).
Based on whole genome sequencing, the taxonomy of mycoplasmas has recently undergone a comprehensive revision. The new taxonomy has now been introduced in VetBact, but it will still be possible to search for the alternative species names. Read more about the revised taxonomy of the mollicutes under the Term list of VetBact and see also reference 164 below. | ||||||||
| Reference(s): | No. 164 | ||||||||
| Updated: | 2023-03-15 |
