Spiroplasma floricola, a New Species Isolated from Surfaces of Flowers of the Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera L.

Davis, Robert E.; Lee, I.-M.; Worley, J. F.

doi:10.1099/00207713-31-4-456

Cited by 53 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 29 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The results of reciprocal deformation and metabolism inhibition tests (Table 2) confirmed the unique serological status of spiroplasma strain E275T. Thus, our serological data demonstrated that strain E275T represents a subgroup that is distinguishable from other group I spiroplasma subgroups, including S. citri (subgroup 1-1) and S. melliferum (subgroup I-2), from groups given species designations (S. jloricola [31]), S . apis [72], and S .…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 73%

Spiroplasma kunkelii sp. nov.: Characterization of the Etiological Agent of Corn Stunt Disease

Whitcomb

Chen

Williamson

et al. 1986

International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nine strains of spiroplasma subgroup 1-3, which comprise the etiological agent of corn stunt disease, were similar in their serological properties. Strain E275T (T = type strain) was studied by using criteria proposed by the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology Subcommittee on Taxonomy of Mollicutes for descriptions of new mollicute species. This strain was shown to belong to the class Mollicutes by the ultrastructure of its limiting membrane, its procaryotic organization, its colonial morphology, and its filtration behavior and to the family Spiroplasmataceue by its helical morphology and motility. Although some serological cross-reactions with other group I spiroplasma strains was observed, strain E275T could be readily distinguished from representatives of other group I subgroups. Subgroup 1-3 spiroplasmas and other group I strains also differed in their one-and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel protein patterns, plant and insect host ranges, and pathogenicities. Growth in M1A or M1D medium occurred at 20 to 3OOC. Cholesterol was required for growth. Glucose was fermented, and arginine was catabolized. Subgroup 1-3 strains, including strain E275T, reacted with considerable homogeneity in deformation tests and were completely separable from strains belonging to subgroup 1-1 (Spiroplasma citri) and subgroup 1-2 (Spiroplusmu melliferum). Strain E275T was also serologically distinct from subgroups 1-4 through 1-8, Spiroplasmu floricolu (group 111), Spiroplusmu apis (group IV), Spiroplusmu mirum (group V), and representative strains of spiroplasma groups I1 and VI through XI. The deoxyribonucleic acid of strain E275T hybridized with the deoxyribonucleic acid of S . citri at significant levels (33 to 68%, depending on the technique used). These results demonstrate that strain E275T and similar strains meet the criteria proposed by the International Committee on Systematic Bacteriology Subcommittee for elevation of spiroplasma subgroups to species. We propose that such strains be named Spiroplasma kunkelii. Strain E275T has been deposited in the American Type Culture Collection as strain ATCC 29320T.Corn stunt disease was first reported as a stunting and striping syndrome of maize in Texas (2). Although this disease was studied biologically (53,54,65,66), the procaryotic nature of the etiological agent remained unsuspected until the late 1960s. Then, prompted by reports that certain leafhopper-borne plant diseases thought to be of viral etiology were in fact caused by wall-less procaryotes, R. R. Granados and colleagues demonstrated that wall-less procaryotes were associated with "Louisiana corn stunt disease" in plant and insect vectors (43,44). These organisms could also be demonstrated in negatively stained preparations of sap from diseased corn (43). Following these morphological studies, Chen and Granados (13) achieved long-term maintenance of the Rio Grande strain of the corn stunt agent in cell-free media and observed filaments similar to those seen in vivo. Subsequently, phase-contrast microsc...

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 73%

Spiroplasma kunkelii sp. nov.: Characterization of the Etiological Agent of Corn Stunt Disease

Whitcomb

Chen

Williamson

et al. 1986

International Journal of Systematic Bacteriology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Further electron microscopy studies on Spiroplasma spp. (4,5,17,27) led to a model of a flat, polar, dense cytoskeletal ribbon ϳ94 nm wide attached to the inner surface of the cell membrane and constructed from ϳ4.5-to 5.0-nm-diameter fibrils with an ϳ9-nm repeat. The cytoskeleton accounts for ϳ1% of the total cellular proteins in Spiroplasma spp.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass Distribution and Spatial Organization of the Linear Bacterial Motor ofSpiroplasma citriR8A2

2003

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In the simple, helical, wall-less bacterial genus Spiroplasma, chemotaxis and motility are effected by a linear, contractile motor arranged as a flat cytoskeletal ribbon attached to the inner side of the membrane along the shortest helical line. With scanning transmission electron microscopy and diffraction analysis, we determined the hierarchical and spatial organization of the cytoskeleton of Spiroplasma citri R8A2. The structural unit appears to be a fibril, ϳ5 nm wide, composed of dimers of a 59-kDa protein; each ribbon is assembled from seven fibril pairs. The functional unit of the intact ribbon is a pair of aligned fibrils, along which pairs of dimers form tetrameric ring-like repeats. On average, isolated and purified ribbons contain 14 fibrils or seven well-aligned fibril pairs, which are the same structures observed in the intact cell. Scanning transmission electron microscopy mass analysis and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of purified cytoskeletons indicate that the 59-kDa protein is the only constituent of the ribbons.The mollicutes (Spiroplasma, Mycoplasma, and Acholeplasma spp.) are the smallest and simplest free-living and selfreplicating forms of life. The mollicutes evolved by regressive evolution and genome reduction from the genus Clostridium (for a review, see reference 15). The reduced genome of the mollicutes yields a minimal inventory of cellular components and extreme structural simplicity. Nonetheless, the cells have a well-defined shape, are chemotactic and motile, and demonstrate a variety of cell movements and dynamic morphologies. For example, mycoplasmas and acholeplasmas glide on solid and semisolid surfaces, while the spiroplasmas (2) are free swimmers (for a review, see reference 11).The mollicutes lack cell walls and flagella but have an internal, contractile cytoskeleton that functions as a linear motor (for a review, see reference 20). The spiroplasmas have a particularly unique cellular geometry, such that the Spiroplasma cell can be viewed as a membranous tube to which a flat cytoskeletal ribbon of parallel fibrils is attached along the shortest helical line on the inner surface of the cellular tube. Both tube and cytoskeleton are mutually coiled into a dynamic helix, the latter driving the former. The cytoskeletal ribbon functions as a linear motor by differentially changing the length of its fibril components (21).The genus Spiroplasma was first described by Saglio et al. (16). Williamson (25) and Williamson and Whitcomb (26) reported the isolation of Spiroplasma cytoskeletons by cell lysis and detergent extraction. It has also been shown that cytoskeletons can be released from Spiroplasma cells by repeated freezing and thawing (19). Further electron microscopy studies on Spiroplasma spp. (4,5,17,27) led to a model of a flat, polar, dense cytoskeletal ribbon ϳ94 nm wide attached to the inner surface of the cell membrane and constructed from ϳ4.5-to 5.0-nm-diameter fibrils with an ϳ9-nm repeat. The cytoskeleton accounts for ϳ1% of the total cell...

show abstract

“…Taxonomic studies have shown that spiroplasma strains can be separated into distinct groups and subgroups (6,10,16,17), and it has been suggested (9) that major groups as well as some distinct subgroups could be designated as separate species of the genus Spiroplasma. Three species, Spiroplasma citri, Spiroplasma floricola, and Spiroplasma mirum, of this genus have been described thus far (11,22,25).Nothing is known about the nature of inheritance in spiroplasmas, and little is known about the genome except for guanosine + cytosine contents (3,5,16,17,22), molecular weight (3,17,22), and the presence of plasmids in some strains (1, 21). Basic knowledge of spiroplasma genetics necessitates the development of a genetic system, which in turn requires a stock of mutant strains that provide genomic markers to follow and quantify movement and recombination of the genome.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

In vitro susceptibility of spiroplasmas to heavy-metal salts

Whitmore¹,

Rissler²,

Davis³

1983

Antimicrob Agents Chemother

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The susceptibility of six spiroplasma strains to heavy-metal salt was characterized in terms of minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal biocidal concentrations in broth tube dilution tests. The strains were most susceptible to mercuric chloride and silver nitrate; less susceptible to copper sulfate, cobalt chloride, lead nitrate, and cadmium sulfate; and least susceptible to nickel chloride and zinc sulfate. Spiroplasma citri strains Maroc R8A2 and C189 were the most susceptible to five of eight heavy-metal salts, and honeybee spiroplasma strain AS576 and Spiroplasma floricola strain 23-6 were generally the least susceptible. The difference between the minimal biocidal concentrations and the minimal inhibitory concentrations was greater for certain heavy-metal salts than for others.Spiroplasmas are motile, helical, cell wall-free procaryotes which have been classified as Mollicutes (14). Subsequent to their discovery in 1972 in association with stunted corn plants (12), they have been shown to induce some diseases of plants and insects, to induce disease experimentally in suckling rodents, and to be associated with apparently healthy plants, insects, and ticks (23,27, 29). The ability to cultivate these organisms in vitro permitted a dramatic increase in research on taxonomy, habitats and distribution, growth conditions, vector relations, antibiotic sensitivities, and morphological, biochemical, and physiological properties (26)(27)(28). Taxonomic studies have shown that spiroplasma strains can be separated into distinct groups and subgroups (6,10,16,17), and it has been suggested (9) that major groups as well as some distinct subgroups could be designated as separate species of the genus Spiroplasma. Three species, Spiroplasma citri, Spiroplasma floricola, and Spiroplasma mirum, of this genus have been described thus far (11,22,25).Nothing is known about the nature of inheritance in spiroplasmas, and little is known about the genome except for guanosine + cytosine contents (3,5,16,17,22), molecular weight (3,17,22), and the presence of plasmids in some strains (1, 21). Basic knowledge of spiroplasma genetics necessitates the development of a genetic system, which in turn requires a stock of mutant strains that provide genomic markers to follow and quantify movement and recombination of the genome.

show abstract

Spiroplasma floricola, a New Species Isolated from Surfaces of Flowers of the Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera L.

Cited by 53 publications

References 29 publications

Spiroplasma kunkelii sp. nov.: Characterization of the Etiological Agent of Corn Stunt Disease

Spiroplasma kunkelii sp. nov.: Characterization of the Etiological Agent of Corn Stunt Disease

Mass Distribution and Spatial Organization of the Linear Bacterial Motor ofSpiroplasma citriR8A2

In vitro susceptibility of spiroplasmas to heavy-metal salts

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About