Microcolonies: a novel morphological form of pathogenic Mycoplasma spp.

Rakovskaya, I. V.; Sа, Ermolaeva; Levina, G A; Barkhatova, O I; Mukhachev, Andrey; Andreevskaya, S. G.; Zhukhovitsky, V. G.; Gorina, L G; Miller, G. G.; Sysolyatina, Elena V.

doi:10.1099/jmm.0.001081

Cited by 14 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Micro-colonies were obtained in vitro by treating M. hominis strain H-34 with hyperimmune serum [7]. The treatment of mycoplasma with antibodies leads to a change in the repertoire of variable surface lipoproteins [20, 21].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar MCs were obtained from an in vitro laboratory system under unfavourable conditions. Treatment with antibodies, various types of non-thermal plasma, cultivation in a poor medium and long-term incubation (at 37 °C for over 2 weeks) were considered as unfavourable factors [7, 8]. We also showed that a pure culture of MCs can be obtained without treatment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previously, we have isolated bacterial colonies of a previously unknown morphological type by the culture method from the blood serum of patients with urogenital tract infections. The bacteria were identified as representatives of the genus Mycoplasma [6, 7]. In most cases, M.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Resistance: MCs are extremely resistant to unfavourable factors such as antibiotics and prolonged starvation [7, 8]. The results of antibiotic susceptibility testing of TCs and MCs using the disc diffusion method indicated that MCs were resistant to a range of antibiotics (gentamicin, norfloxacin, doxycycline, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, clindamycin, azithromycin, erythromycin and lincomycin), while TCs were sensitive to all these antibiotics except erythromycin.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We termed them ‘micro-colonies’ (MCs).The isolated cultures were identified using species-specific tests. In the case of M. hominis , MCs tests are positive by PCR with primers specific for M. hominis , direct fluorescence and epifluorescence tests, and Western blotting with aMh-FcG2a nanobodies, derived from a camel, which are specific for the MH3620 transporter protein [ 7 ]. Similar MCs were obtained from an in vitro laboratory system under unfavourable conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Thymidine utilisation pathway is a novel phenotypic switch of Mycoplasma hominis

Fisunov

Pobeguts

Ladygina

et al. 2022

Journal of Medical Microbiology

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Introduction. Mycoplasma hominis is a bacterium belonging to the class Mollicutes . It causes acute and chronic infections of the urogenital tract. The main features of this bacterium are an absence of cell wall and a reduced genome size (517–622 protein-encoding genes). Previously, we have isolated morphologically unknown M. hominis colonies called micro-colonies (MCs) from the serum of patients with inflammatory urogenital tract infection. Hypothesis. MCs are functionally different from the typical colonies (TCs) in terms of metabolism and cell division. Aim. To determine the physiological differences between MCs and TCs of M. hominis and elucidate the pathways of formation and growth of MCs by a comparative proteomic analysis of these two morphological forms. Methodology. LC–MS proteomic analysis of TCs and MCs using an Ultimate 3000 RSLC nanoHPLC system connected to a QExactive Plus mass spectrometer. Results. The study of the proteomic profiles of M. hominis colonies allowed us to reconstruct their energy metabolism pathways. In addition to the already known pentose phosphate and arginine deamination pathways, M. hominis can utilise ribose phosphate and deoxyribose phosphate formed by nucleoside catabolism as energy sources. Comparative proteomic HPLC–MS analysis revealed that the proteomic profiles of TCs and MCs were different. We assume that MC cells preferably utilised deoxyribonucleosides, particularly thymidine, as an energy source rather than arginine or ribonucleosides. Utilisation of deoxyribonucleosides is less efficient as compared with that of ribonucleosides and arginine in terms of energy production. Thymidine phosphorylase DeoA is one of the key enzymes of deoxyribonucleosides utilisation. We obtained a DeoA overexpressing mutant that exhibited a phenotype similar to that of MCs, which confirmed our hypothesis. Conclusion. In addition to the two known pathways for energy production (arginine deamination and the pentose phosphate pathway) M. hominis can use deoxyribonucleosides and ribonucleosides. MC cells demonstrate a reorganisation of energy metabolism: unlike TC cells, they preferably utilise deoxyribonucleosides, particularly thymidine, as an energy source rather than arginine or ribonucleosides. Thus MC cells enter a state of energy starvation, which helps them to survive under stress, and in particular, to be resistant to antibiotics.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%