CULTURE AND METABOLISM OF MYCOPLASMA GLLISEPTICUM

Abstract

Gill, James W. (University of New Hampshire, Durham). Culture and metabolism of Mycoplasma gallisepticum . J. Bacteriol. 83: 213–218. 1962.— Mycoplasma gallisepticum A5969, a strong-growing pleuropneumonia-like organism pathogenic for poultry, was found to be intolerant of extremes of temperature and potassium ion concentration. It ferments glucose to the benefit of cell yield, but glycolysis appears not to be essential to growth. Anaerobic growth can be maintained if pyruvate is added as a hydrogen recipient. A transamination system between glutamic acid and aspartic acid, more rapid toward the formation of aspartic acid, was found in a frozen-cell preparation. Two small peptides were observed to be produced by the organism and liberated into the medium under normal growth conditions. The composition of the peptides shows a relationship to the cell wall of certain bacteria.