Abstract
Mycoplasma penetrans is a newly isolated Mollicute from the urine of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus that demonstrates the capacity to adhere to and invade human cells. A previous report, based on assays with mouse red blood cells (RBCs), indicated that M. penetrans lacked hemolytic activity. In our studies, we incubated different isolates of M. penetrans with various RBC species and observed hemolytic zones surrounding individual mycoplasma colonies. All M. penetrans strains displayed hemolysis after 2 to 3 days of incubation. Hemolytic activity diffused from single colonies, eventually causing complete lysis. Hemolysis was most pronounced with sheep RBCs, followed by horse, chicken, and human cells. Furthermore, hemolytic activity was demonstrable in both intact mycoplasma cell preparations and spent culture supernatant. However, unlike intact mycoplasmas, the hemolytic activity in the supernatant was dependent on the reducing agent, cysteine. In addition to hemolysis, a brown precipitate was closely associated with mycoplasma colonies, suggesting oxidation of hemoglobin. Absorption spectra indicated that hemoglobin was oxidized to methemoglobin, and the addition of catalase demonstrated H2O2-mediated hemoxidation. Other experiments suggested that hemoxidation enhanced total hemolysis, providing the first evidence of both hemolytic and hemoxidative activities in M. penetrans.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 6419-6422 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Infection and Immunity |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2000 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
Cite this
Hemolytic and hemoxidative activities in Mycoplasma penetrans. / Kannan, Thirumalai R; Baseman, J. B.
In: Infection and Immunity, Vol. 68, No. 11, 2000, p. 6419-6422.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Hemolytic and hemoxidative activities in Mycoplasma penetrans
AU - Kannan, Thirumalai R
AU - Baseman, J. B.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Mycoplasma penetrans is a newly isolated Mollicute from the urine of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus that demonstrates the capacity to adhere to and invade human cells. A previous report, based on assays with mouse red blood cells (RBCs), indicated that M. penetrans lacked hemolytic activity. In our studies, we incubated different isolates of M. penetrans with various RBC species and observed hemolytic zones surrounding individual mycoplasma colonies. All M. penetrans strains displayed hemolysis after 2 to 3 days of incubation. Hemolytic activity diffused from single colonies, eventually causing complete lysis. Hemolysis was most pronounced with sheep RBCs, followed by horse, chicken, and human cells. Furthermore, hemolytic activity was demonstrable in both intact mycoplasma cell preparations and spent culture supernatant. However, unlike intact mycoplasmas, the hemolytic activity in the supernatant was dependent on the reducing agent, cysteine. In addition to hemolysis, a brown precipitate was closely associated with mycoplasma colonies, suggesting oxidation of hemoglobin. Absorption spectra indicated that hemoglobin was oxidized to methemoglobin, and the addition of catalase demonstrated H2O2-mediated hemoxidation. Other experiments suggested that hemoxidation enhanced total hemolysis, providing the first evidence of both hemolytic and hemoxidative activities in M. penetrans.
AB - Mycoplasma penetrans is a newly isolated Mollicute from the urine of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus that demonstrates the capacity to adhere to and invade human cells. A previous report, based on assays with mouse red blood cells (RBCs), indicated that M. penetrans lacked hemolytic activity. In our studies, we incubated different isolates of M. penetrans with various RBC species and observed hemolytic zones surrounding individual mycoplasma colonies. All M. penetrans strains displayed hemolysis after 2 to 3 days of incubation. Hemolytic activity diffused from single colonies, eventually causing complete lysis. Hemolysis was most pronounced with sheep RBCs, followed by horse, chicken, and human cells. Furthermore, hemolytic activity was demonstrable in both intact mycoplasma cell preparations and spent culture supernatant. However, unlike intact mycoplasmas, the hemolytic activity in the supernatant was dependent on the reducing agent, cysteine. In addition to hemolysis, a brown precipitate was closely associated with mycoplasma colonies, suggesting oxidation of hemoglobin. Absorption spectra indicated that hemoglobin was oxidized to methemoglobin, and the addition of catalase demonstrated H2O2-mediated hemoxidation. Other experiments suggested that hemoxidation enhanced total hemolysis, providing the first evidence of both hemolytic and hemoxidative activities in M. penetrans.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0033788010&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1128/IAI.68.11.6419-6422.2000
DO - 10.1128/IAI.68.11.6419-6422.2000
M3 - Article
C2 - 11035754
AN - SCOPUS:0033788010
VL - 68
SP - 6419
EP - 6422
JO - Infection and Immunity
JF - Infection and Immunity
SN - 0019-9567
IS - 11
ER -