Acholeplasma laidlawiiPG8 Culture Adapted to Unfavorable Growth Conditions Shows an Expressed Phytopathogenicity

Abstract

Mycoplasmas are the smallest, self-replicating, prokaryotic organisms with avid biochemical potential and spreading in higher eukaryotes in nature. In this study, Acholeplasma laidlawii PG8 cells were cultivated on a deficient medium for 480 days resulting in a mycoplasma culture that was adapted in vitro to unfavorable growth conditions. Cells that survive this condition had decreased sizes (about 0.2 μm) and increased phytopathogenicity. This resulted in more frequent appearance of various morphological alterations when plants of vinca (Vinca minor L.) were infected by adapted mycoplasma cells. The increasing pathogenicity was accompanied by changes in genome expression in these adapted cells. Further studies are needed to explore the exact mechanisms that permit adaptation to unfavorable growth conditions and changes in phytopathogenic potential.

Changes in the Bacterial Community Structure in Stored Wormbed Leachate

“…Acholeplasma is a widely distributed mycoplasma in nature and possesses very versatile adaptation capabilities [Chernov et al, 2005]. Among all its ecological capabilities, it is a causative agent of some plant diseases [Chernov et al, 2007[Chernov et al, , 2011. The successful virulence traits (infectivity, invasivity, toxigenicity and persistence) of Acholeplasma towards plants suggest that it can survive unfavorable conditions, such as oxidative stress, limited substrate and temperature fluctuations [Chernov et al, 2011].…”

Unadapted and adapted to starvation Acholeplasma laidlawii cells induce different responses of Oryza sativa, as determined by proteome analysis

“…This might be in the case of A. laidlawii PG8. Earlier [1,5] we reported that starvation leadsA. laidlawii PG8 to dormancy.…”

“…About 700 protein spots were resolved in the analytic gel. Probably, the low resolution is connected with more broad pH range of IPG we used (3-10) then it is mainly used in the plant proteomic study (3)(4)(5)(6)(7).…”

“…The plants were grown in sterile conditions [13] at 27°C (12 h:12 h light:dark photoperiod and a light intensity 6 klux). Rice plants were infected with A. laidlawii PG8 cells under sterile conditions as described by Chernov et al [5] using a spontaneous infection of 10-day plant seedlings through the root system. Plant roots were incubated continuously in buffer ( …”

“…This mycoplasma is widely distributed in nature, one of the five common species of cell culture contaminants, and is a causative agent of some plant diseases [3][4][5][6][7]. Insects are that the adaptation of A. laidlawii PG8 to starvation involves changes in morphology, ultrastructure, DNA topology, genotoxicity of the mycoplasma cells and virulence of the bacterium toward Vinca minor L. -the specific indicator of phytomycoplasmoses.…”