Presence of the Arginine Dihydrolase Pathway in Mycoplasma

Abstract

Barile, Michael F. (Division of Biologics Standards, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.), Robert T. Schimke, and Donald B. Riggs . Presence of the arginine dihydrolase pathway in Mycoplasma . J. Bacteriol. 91 :189–192. 1966.—The presence of the arginine dihydrolase pathway was examined in 61 Mycoplasma strains representing at least 18 Mycoplasma species isolated from nine different sources: human, bovine, avian, murine, swine, goat, canine, sewage, and tissue cell culture origin. Some species were represented by only one or two strains. Different strains of the same species gave the same results. Ten species (56%) were positive. Many nonpathogenic Mycoplasma species ( M. hominis , type 1 and 2, M. fermentans, M. salivarium , and M. gallinarum ) were positive, whereas most pathogenic species ( M. pneumoniae, M. gallisepticum, M. neurolyticum , and M. hyorhinis ) were negative. The presence of arginine dihydrolase activity among Mycoplasma species may prove to be useful for purposes of identification and classification.