Mycoplasma spumans is a species of bacteria in the genus Mycoplasma. This genusofbacteria lacks a cell wall around their cell membrane.[1] Without a cell wall, pathogenic species in this genus are unaffected by many antibiotics such as penicillin or other beta-lactam antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis. Mycoplasma are the smallest bacterial cells yet discovered,[2] can survive without oxygen and are typically about 0.1 μm in diameter.
The etymology of the name of the species comes from the Latiny: L. part. adj. spumans, foaming, presumably alluding to thick dark markings that suggest the presence of globules inside the coarsely reticulated colonies. The type strain is ATCC 19526 = IFO (now NBRC) 14849 = NCTC 10169. Its genome has been determined.[3]
It is associated with respiratory infections in dogs.[4]M. spumansisGram-negative and appears round or coccobacillary in form. Individual cells vary in diameter from 300 to 600 nm, and each is surrounded by a three-layered cytoplasmic membrane. The cell has a 'fried-egg' resemblance on a variety of growth media. It is anaerobic.
^Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed.). McGraw Hill. pp. 409–12. ISBN0-8385-8529-9. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help)
