Specific Species
General Information
Mycoplasma have very limited biosynthetic capabilities and use host cells to multiply and survive - kind of like viruses
Belongs to the class Mollicutes and family Mycoplasmataceae.
Have a single, triple layered cell membrane which include sterols (required for growth)
Mycoplasmas adhere to cells in the respiratory and urogenital epithelium as an initial and essential step in tissue colonisation and disease pathogenesis.
Example
M. pneumoniae uses its tapered tail which has specific proteins related to adhesion, including P1 and P30
P40 and P90 are not adhesins but the loss of these proteins would prevent cytadherence​.
Mycoplasma have no cell walls which results in them being less osmotically stable than other cells. They are also not susceptible to Beta Lactam antibiotics that target the cell wall synthesis.