How is mycoplasma contamination detected in cell culture?
Mycoplasma contamination can be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is easy, sensitive, specific, fast, reliable, efficient and costeffective. The PCR test is based on the detection of 16S rRNA molecules of the most common species of mycoplasma contaminating cell cultures.
How does mycoplasma contamination affect cells?
Consequences of Mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures Mycoplasmas compete with host cells for biosynthetic precursors and nutrients and can alter DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, diminish amino acid and ATP levels, introduce chromosomal alterations, and modify host-cell plasma membrane antigens.
Is mycoplasma contamination visible?
Mycoplasma colonies are easily visible on the agar plates. This method is capable of detecting most of the mycoplasma species, apart from a few of them. Another method used for mycoplasma detection is using PCR.
Are ATCC cells tested for mycoplasma?
ATCC scientists use a proprietary PCR-based mycoplasma assay to test your cells. The assay quickly and reliably detects more than 60 species of mycoplasma, Acholeplasma, Spiroplasma, and Ureaplasma, including the top 8 species most likely to affect cell cultures: M.
How is mycoplasma treated in cell culture?
There are three classes of antibiotics that kill mycoplasma when used at relatively low concentrations: tetracyclines, macrolides and quinolones. Tetracyclines and macrolides block protein synthesis by interfering with ribosome translation, whereas quinolones inhibit replication of mycoplasma DNA.
What is mycoplasma used for?
This organism can modify many aspects of cell physiology, rendering experiments that are conducted with contaminated cells worthless. Because of their small size, Mycoplasmas can pass through filters used to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination and potentially spread to all the cultures in a laboratory.
Where does mycoplasma live?
The primary habitats of human and animal mycoplasmas are the mucous surfaces of the respiratory and urogenital tracts and the joints in some animals.
How do you test for mycoplasma?
Direct detection of mycoplasma may be done on a variety of samples. For a respiratory infection, samples may include sputum, a washing of the bronchi in the lungs, or throat swab. If a systemic infection is being diagnosed, blood, joint fluid, body fluids, or tissues samples may be cultured.
What is a PCR test for mycoplasma?
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used to detect mycoplasma contamination in a panel of 42 continuous cell lines. According to the microbiological cultivation assay on agar, 29 cell lines were chronically infected and 13 cell lines were negative.
What is mycoplasma contamination?
The contamination of cell cultures by mycoplasmas remains a major problem in cell culture. Mycoplasmas can produce a virtually unlimited variety of effects in the cultures they infect. These organisms are resistant to most antibiotics commonly employed in cell cultures.
How is fungal contamination treated in cell culture?
Cell cultures can often be cured of fungus contamination when detected early by treatment with certain antibiotics (actually antimycotics).