378
E. A. FREUNDT E T AL.
I. INTRODUCTION
The primary objective of this Chapter, which may be regarded as a
continuation of the chapter by Fallon and Whittlestone (1969) on the
“Isolation, cultivation and maintenance of mycoplasmas”, published in
Volume 3B of this Series, is to describe in detail the practical aspects of
methods used for the identification of mycoplasmas.
Identification of an unknown organism aims at defining its taxonomic
position at the species or subspecies level. In order to provide a background
for the presentation of the data required for this purpose, an outline is
given in Section I1 of the taxonomy of the mycoplasmas. In this connection,
the biochemical and more particularly the serological methods used in
species classification and identification are discussed in general terms.
Section I11 provides an outline of standard procedures that, step by
step, will lead to final identification.
Technical details of biochemical and serological methods used to
identify mycoplasmas are presented in Sections IV and V, respectively.
The presentation and the views expressed in this Chapter are based to
a great extent on the experience gained by the authors through several
years of work on identification problems. Also, the methods and techniques
currently adhered to in our respective laboratories provide the primary
basis of the descriptions of recommended standard methods. I n some
cases, useful alternative methods are briefly described or selected references
are given.
For a more general orientation in the field of mycoplasmology, and in
particular for information about the significance of mycoplasmas as
aetiological agents of diseases in man, animals and plants, the reader is
referred to recent books (Hayflick, 1969; Sharp, 1970; Barile et al., 1979),
symposia (Elliott and Birch, 1972; Maramorosch, 1973; BovC and Duplan,
1974) and reviews (Razin, 1969, 1478; Freundt, 1974a).
11. TAXONOMY OF T H E MYCOPLASMAS
A. Class and order
Following a recommendation made by the Subcommittee on the
Taxonomy of the Mycoplnsmatales (1967), Edward and Freundt in 1967
formally proposed that the order Mycoplusmatnles (vernacular or trivial
name “mycoplasmas”) be assigned to a new microbial class, the Mollicutes
(Table I). The name of this new class, which means “soft skin”, refers to a
most striking fundamental property of the mycoplasmas : thcir lack of a
rigid cell wall and inability to synthesise basic constituents of the bacterial
cell wall such as muramic acid and diaminopimelic acid. The last part of
E. A. FREUNDT E T AL.
I. INTRODUCTION
The primary objective of this Chapter, which may be regarded as a
continuation of the chapter by Fallon and Whittlestone (1969) on the
“Isolation, cultivation and maintenance of mycoplasmas”, published in
Volume 3B of this Series, is to describe in detail the practical aspects of
methods used for the identification of mycoplasmas.
Identification of an unknown organism aims at defining its taxonomic
position at the species or subspecies level. In order to provide a background
for the presentation of the data required for this purpose, an outline is
given in Section I1 of the taxonomy of the mycoplasmas. In this connection,
the biochemical and more particularly the serological methods used in
species classification and identification are discussed in general terms.
Section I11 provides an outline of standard procedures that, step by
step, will lead to final identification.
Technical details of biochemical and serological methods used to
identify mycoplasmas are presented in Sections IV and V, respectively.
The presentation and the views expressed in this Chapter are based to
a great extent on the experience gained by the authors through several
years of work on identification problems. Also, the methods and techniques
currently adhered to in our respective laboratories provide the primary
basis of the descriptions of recommended standard methods. I n some
cases, useful alternative methods are briefly described or selected references
are given.
For a more general orientation in the field of mycoplasmology, and in
particular for information about the significance of mycoplasmas as
aetiological agents of diseases in man, animals and plants, the reader is
referred to recent books (Hayflick, 1969; Sharp, 1970; Barile et al., 1979),
symposia (Elliott and Birch, 1972; Maramorosch, 1973; BovC and Duplan,
1974) and reviews (Razin, 1969, 1478; Freundt, 1974a).
11. TAXONOMY OF T H E MYCOPLASMAS
A. Class and order
Following a recommendation made by the Subcommittee on the
Taxonomy of the Mycoplnsmatales (1967), Edward and Freundt in 1967
formally proposed that the order Mycoplusmatnles (vernacular or trivial
name “mycoplasmas”) be assigned to a new microbial class, the Mollicutes
(Table I). The name of this new class, which means “soft skin”, refers to a
most striking fundamental property of the mycoplasmas : thcir lack of a
rigid cell wall and inability to synthesise basic constituents of the bacterial
cell wall such as muramic acid and diaminopimelic acid. The last part of