Mycoplasma columbinum

(Shimizu et al., 1978)

Etymology

Gr. n. mukes – fungus, Gr. neut. n. plasma – anything formed, N.L. neut. n. Mycoplasma – fungus form; L. n. columbus – a pigeon, L. neut. adj. columbinum – of a pigeon

Taxonomy

Mycoplasmatales – Mycoplasmataceae – Mycoplasma – Mycoplasma columbinum (Bovis cluster), closely related to Mycoplasma columbinasale (16S rRNA gene sequence similarity – 96.41%) (Fig. 1)

Type strain

MMP1^T (domestic pigeon – Columba livia f. domestica, Japan, 1973), (Fig. 2, 16S rRNA gene sequence)

Genomes

one completed (MMP1^T – Japan); 2 draft genomes (NCBI Genome deposit per 11/05/2024)

Cell morphology

spherical – coccoid

Colony morphology

fried egg morphology (Fig. 3)

Metabolism

hydrolysis of arginine; non-fermentative, non-urea-hydrolyzing

Host

rock pigeon (Columba livia)

Habitat

upper respiratory tract

Disease(s)

unknown, once isolated from a joint with arthritis

Pathogenicity

factors unknown

Epidemiology

worldwide occurrence in rock pigeons

Diagnosis

cultivation and species identification by MALDI-ToF MS, serology or genetically

Fig. 1. Maximum likelihood tree showing the phylogenetic position of Mycoplasma columbinum MMP1^T within the Bovis cluster of Mycoplasmataceae based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The sequence of Mycoplasma synoviae WVU 1853^T was used as out-group (Synoviae cluster). Numbers at nodes represent bootstrap confidence values (1000 replications). Only values > 80% are shown. Bar, number of substitutions per nucleotide position. Credits: Joachim Spergser (Vetmeduni Vienna)

>Mycoplasma columbinum MMP1^T

CTGGCTGTGTGCCTAATACATGCATGTCGAGCGAAGTTCTTCGGAACTTAGCGGCGAATGGGTGAGTAACACGTACTCAACGTACCCTTTAGATTGGGATAGCGGTTGGAAACAGCCGATAATACCAAATATGCACATTTTTCGCATGAAAGGTGTGTGAAAGGAGCAATTGTTCCGCTAAAGGAGCGGGGTGCGCAACATTAGCTAGTTGGTGAGGTAACGGCCCACCAAGGCGATGATGTTTAGCGGGGTTGAGAGACTGAACCGCCACACTGGGACTGAGATACGGCCCAGACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGTAGGGAATATTCCACAATGGACGAAAGTCTGATGGAGCGACACAGCGTGCAGGATGAAGGCCCCATGGGTTGTAAACTGCTGTGGTAAGGGAAGAAAAAGCAGAAGAGTGGAACGCTTTTGCCTTGACGGTACCTTATTAGAAAGCGACGGCTAACTATGTGCCAGCAGCCGCGGTAATACATAGGTCGCAAGCGTTATCCGGAATTATTGGGCGTAAAGCGTCTGTAGGTTGTTTGTTAAGTCTGACGTCAAATTTTGGGGCTCAACCCCAAACCGCGTTGGATACTGGCATACTAGAGTTATGTAGAGGTTAGCGGAATTCCTTGTGAAGCGGTGGAATGCGTAGATATAAGGAAGAACACCAATATGGCGAAGGCAGCTAACTGGACATATACTGACACTGAGAGACGAAAGCGTGGGGAGCAAACAGGATTAGATACCCTGGTAGTCCACGCCCTAAACGATGATCATTAGCTGATGGAAAATTCATCGGCGCAGCTAACGCATTAAATGATCCGCCTGAGTAGTACGTTCGCAAGAATAAAACTTAAAGGAATTGACGGGGATCCGCACAAGCGGTGGAGCATGTGGTTTAATTTGAAGATACGCGTAGAACCTTACCCACTCTTGACATCTTCTGCAAAGCTATAGAGATATAGTGGAGGTTAACAGAATGACAGATGGTGCATGGTTGTCGTCAGCTCGTGTCGTGAGATGTACGGTTAAGTCCTGCAACGAGCGCAACCCTTGTCCTTAGTTACTAACATTAAGTTGAGCACTCTAAGGAGACTGCCCGAGTAATTGGGAGGAAGGTGGGGACGACGTCAAATCATCATGCCTCTTACGAGTGGGGCAACACACGTGCTACAATGGTCGGTACAAAGAGAAGCAAACTGGTGACAGGGAGCAAACCTCAAAAAACCGATCTCAGTTCGGATTGTAGTCTGCAACTCGACTACATGAAGTCGGAATCGCTAGTAATCGTAGATCAGCTACGCTACGGTGAATACGTTCTCGGGTCTTGTACACACCGCCCGTCAAACCATGGGAGCTGGTAATGCCCGAAGTCGGTTTATAAACAAACTGCCTAAGGCAGGACTGGTGACTGGGGTTAAGTCGTAACAAGGT

Fig. 2. 16S rRNA gene sequence of Mycoplasma columbinum MMP1^T(Accession number: NR_025063)

Fig. 3. Colonies of Mycoplasma columbinum MMP1^T on modified Hayflick’s agar after 4 days of incubation exhibiting fried egg morphology. Note, colour change of solid medium from ochre to reddish based on release of ammonia resulting from hydrolysis of arginine creating an alkaline pH. Bar, 1 mm. Credits: Joachim Spergser (Vetmeduni Vienna)

Species assigned by: Shimizu, T., Ernø, H., Nagatomo, H. 1978. Isolation and characterization of Mycoplasma columbinum and Mycoplasma columborale, two species from pigeons. Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 28: 538-546.