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Mycoplasma sturni sp. nov., from the Conjunctiva of a European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

M. H. FORSYTH^1,, J. G. TULLY², T. S. GORTON¹, L. HINCKLEY¹, S. FRASCA, JR.^1,3, H. J. VAN KRUININGEN^1,3 and S. J. GEARY^1,*

¹Department of Pathobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3089
³the Northeastern Research Center for Wildlife Diseases, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3089
²Mycoplasma Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201

^* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Pathobiology, U-89, 61 N. Eagleville Rd., University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-3089. Phone (860) 486-2794

ABSTRACT

Strain UCMF^T (T = type strain) was isolated from the conjunctiva of a European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) with conjunctivitis. Colonies grown on conventional mycoplasma agar possessed the typical fried-egg appearance observed with many mycoplasmal species. Electron micrographs of ultrathin sections of UCMF^T revealed a pleomorphic cellular morphology; the cells ranged from spherical to elliptical or flask shaped. The cell size ranged from 0.3 to 0.5 µm. Strain UCMF^T grows well in a variety of mycoplasma broth formulations at 25°C with rapid and heavy growth at 37°C. No growth occurs at 42°C. This organism ferments glucose but does not hydrolyze urea or arginine and has an absolute requirement for sterol for growth. Strain UCMF^T does not hemagglutinate or hemadsorb chicken erythrocytes. The genome size is 870 kbp, and the guanine-plus-cytosine content is 31 mol%. Sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene demonstrated that this organism is unique and has not been described previously. Serological analysis confirmed that strain UCMF^T is distinct from all previously identified Mycoplasma, Acholeplasma, Spiroplasma, Entomoplasma, and Mesoplasma species. This organism represents a new species, for which we propose the name Mycoplasma sturni. Strain UCMF (= ATCC 51945) is the type strain of M. sturni sp. nov.

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