title: Mycoplasma testudineum sp. nov., from a desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) with upper respiratory tract disease.
abstract: Mycoplasma testudineum sp. nov., first cultured from the upper respiratory tract of a clinically ill tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) in the Mohave Desert, was distinguished from previously described mollicutes serologically and by 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons. It lacks a cell wall; ferments glucose, mannose, lactose and sucrose; does not produce 'film and spots'; does not hydrolyse arginine, aesculin or urea; is sensitive to digitonin; and lacks phosphatase activity. The organism causes chronic rhinitis and conjunctivitis of tortoises. The type strain of M. testudineum is BH29T (= ATCC 700618T = MCCM 03231T).
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Merritt
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Jacobson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.affiliation: Mycoplasma Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002473:Cell Wall; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004072:Digitonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004798:Enzymes / Q000032:analysis; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000235:genetics; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism; D008358:Mannose / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012703:Serotyping; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D014426:Turtles / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D004798:Enzymes; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D013395:Sucrose; D005947:Glucose; D007785:Lactose; D004072:Digitonin; D008358:Mannose