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.

Arginine utilization by Mycoplasma fermentans is not regulated by glucose metabolism: A 13C-NMR study

“…Mycoplasma fermentans is one of only a few metabolically unique mycoplasma species that possess both a glucose fermentation pathway and the three enzymes of the arginine dihydrolase pathway [6]. The incognitus strain of this species has recently been under intensive study because of reports that implicate it with the appearance of clinical symptoms in AIDS patients [7,8].…”

The location of the arginine-specific carboxypeptidase in the membrane of Mycoplasma salivarium and its physiological functions

“…acid production from carbohydrate, the genus Mycoplasma can be subdivided into fermentative or non-fermentative species. Non-fermenters are welt known to catabolize L-arginine to ATP by the arginine dihydrolase pathway [1,2]. We have been interested in the arginine metabolism of non-fermentative mycoplasmas.…”

Nucleotide Sequence of the Arginine Deiminase Gene of Mycoplasma hominis

“…Mycoplasma hominis is a nonfermentative Mycoplasma species which converts L-arginine to L-citrulline by the arginine deiminase activity (1). Arginine deiminase (EC 3.5.3.6) in Mycoplasma cells has been known as an immunosuppressive substance (2), and it has also been shown to exert a lymphocyte blastogenesis inhibitory activity (10) or a tumor growth inhibitory activity (6,9,11).…”