Decreased motility of bull spermatozoa caused by Mycoplasma bovigenitalium.
Mycoplasma bovigenitalium mixed with bull semen in egg yolk-citrate buffer and held at 5 C caused a highly significant time- and dose-dependent depression in sperm motility. Mycoplasma adhered to a majority of spermatozoa, principally to the acrosome, but also the the midpiece and tail. This may reflect the basis for a naturally observed condition in young bulls in which genital mycoplasmosis is associated with low sperm motility.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000502:physiology*; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*