Corn stunt Spiroplasma in phloem cells. Thick section (0.4 micrometers) observed in a TEM. Magnified 75,000X.
Scientific classification
Domain:
Bacteria
Phylum:
Mycoplasmatota
Class:
Mollicutes
Order:
Mycoplasmatales
Family:
Spiroplasmataceae
Skrypal 1974 ex Skrypal 1983
Genus:
Spiroplasma
Saglio et al. 1973
Type species
Spiroplasma citri
Saglio et al. 1973
Species[1]
S. atrichopogonis
S. chrysopicola
S. citri
S. eriocheiris
S. insolitum
S. kunkelii
S. leucomae
S. lineolae
S. mellifera
S. mirum
S. penaei
S. phoenicea
S. poulsonii
S. syrphidicola
Spiroplasma is a genus of Mollicutes, a group of small bacteria without cell walls. Spiroplasma shares the simple metabolism, parasitic lifestyle, fried-egg colony morphology and small genome of other Mollicutes, but has a distinctive helical morphology, unlike Mycoplasma. It has a spiral shape and moves in a corkscrew motion. Many Spiroplasma are found either in the gut or haemolymph of insects where they can act to manipulate host reproduction, or defend the host as endosymbionts. Spiroplasma are also disease-causing agents in the phloem of plants. Spiroplasmas are fastidious organisms, which require a rich culture medium. Typically they grow well at 30 °C, but not at 37 °C. A few species, notably Spiroplasma mirum, grow well at 37 °C (human body temperature), and cause cataracts and neurological damage in suckling mice. The best studied species of spiroplasmas are Spiroplasma poulsonii, a reproductive manipulator and defensive insect symbiont, Spiroplasma citri, the causative agent of citrus stubborn disease, and Spiroplasma kunkelii, the causative agent of corn stunt disease.
^Ballinger, Matthew J.; Moore, Logan D.; Perlman, Steve J.; Stabb, Eric V. (31 January 2018). "Evolution and Diversity of Inherited Spiroplasma Symbionts in Myrmica Ants". Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 84 (4). Bibcode:2018ApEnM..84E2299B. doi:10.1128/AEM.02299-17. PMC 5795062. PMID 29196290.
Spiroplasma is a genus of Mollicutes, a group of small bacteria without cell walls. Spiroplasma shares the simple metabolism, parasitic lifestyle, fried-egg...
Spiroplasma citri is a bacterium species and the causative agent of Citrus stubborn disease. Its genome has been partially sequenced. The restriction...
Spiroplasma kunkelii is a species of Mollicutes, which are small bacteria that all share a common cell wall-less feature. They are characterized by helical...
Spiroplasma mirum is a bacterium in the genus Spiroplasma. A strain of it, called Spiroplasma mirum strain SMCA (Suckling mouse cataract agent), causes...
Spiroplasma poulsonii are bacteria of the genus Spiroplasma that are commonly endosymbionts of flies. These bacteria live in the hemolymph (insect blood)...
Many are able to move about through gliding, but members of the genus Spiroplasma are helical and move by twisting. The best-known genus in the Mollicutes...
It is caused by the bacterium Spiroplasma kunkelii. S. kunkelii, a spiroplasma often referred to as corn stunt spiroplasma, can survive and overwinter in...
"Tenericutes" (tener cutis: soft skin). Notable genera include Mycoplasma, Spiroplasma, Ureaplasma, and Candidatus Phytoplasma. List of bacteria genera List...
transmitted by prions, though some other data suggest an involvement of a Spiroplasma infection. Mental and physical abilities deteriorate and many tiny holes...
have showed that the beet leafhopper is a vector (epidemiology) of the Spiroplasma citri prokaryote which is the causal agent of the Citrus Stubborn Disease...
subfamily Gokushovirinae. Spiroplasma bacteria serve as natural hosts. There is only one species in this genus: Spiroplasma virus SpV4. Viruses in Spiromicrovirus...
"Mycoplasma". A "Spiroplasma" or mycoides group containing M. mycoides and the aforementioned closely-related species in "Spiroplasma" and Entomoplasmatales...
some Spiroplasma species are known insect pathogens, the T. molitor larvae did not experience any harmful effects from the presence of the Spiroplasma in...
harbour vertically transmitted endosymbionts, such as Wolbachia and Spiroplasma. These endosymbionts can act as reproductive manipulators, such as cytoplasmic...
called Spiroplasma. Male-killing bacteria are transmitted vertically, from mother to offspring. Female plain tigers infected with Spiroplasma will produce...
minimizing its recognition by the tomato immune system." Phytoplasma and Spiroplasma are obligate intracellular parasites, bacteria that lack cell walls and...
While Spiroplasma of Drosophila melanogaster can also exhibit male-killing, the D. tenebrosa Spiroplasma did not. It is possible that this Spiroplasma defends...
the DNA viruses. Enterobacteria, intracellular parasitic bacteria, and spiroplasma serve as natural hosts. There are 22 species in this family, divided...
mold, protozoan, and coelenterate mitochondrial code and the mycoplasma/spiroplasma code The invertebrate mitochondrial code The ciliate, dasycladacean and...
million years ago. Wild populations of D. hydei can be infected with Spiroplasma bacteria that defend the fly against parasitoid wasps. The Class II "Minos"...
stubborn disease is a plant disease affecting species in the genus Citrus. Spiroplasma citri, a Mollicute bacterium species, is the causative agent of the disease...
is associated with a variety of bacteria (Wolbachia, Rickettsia, and Spiroplasma) which are present in between 0 and 20% of females, depending on locality...
P.; Rose, D. L.; Henegar, R. B.; Williamson, D. L. (1 July 1985). "Spiroplasma melliferum, a New Species from the Honeybee (Apis mellifera)". International...
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