Analysis of Mycoplasma hyorhinis DNA in the presence of host cells without growing the mycoplasma axenically

Abstract

Mycoplasma hyorhinis coisolates with the mitochondria of the cells in which it is carried as an infection. Since both mitochondria and mycoplasmas synthesize DNA by using the prokaryotic DNA polymerase gamma, the use of aphidicolln, which inhibits eukaryotic DNA polymerase alpha, allows for selective synthesis of mycoplasmal and mitochondrial DNA. The restriction patterns of mitochondria and mycoplasmas can easily be differentiated from each other in mixtures of both DNAs. Thus, it is possible to study the molecular biology of this noncultivable mycoplasma in situ rather than after growth in artificial media, with its potential genetic consequences during adjustment to axenic growth.

The necessity of combining genomic and enzymatic data to infer metabolic function and pathways in the smallest bacteria amino acid purine and pyrimidine metabolism in mollicutes

“…An interesting and promising approach in the study of the Mollicutes metabolism employs co-culture with eukaryotic cells with aphidicolin, an inhibitor of eukaryotic DNA polymerase alpha. The technique was reported using Mycoplasma hyorhinis by Schaeffer et al (116). Dallo and Baseman (25) also used aphidicolin in a study of intracellular survival and long term growth of pathogenic Mycoplasma spp.…”