Bacteriophage MAV1 is not associated with virulence of Mycoplasma arthritidis.
Previous studies demonstrated that Mycoplasma arthritidis strain 158 acquired a high degree of virulence upon lysogenization with bacteriophage MAV1. In the present study, the association between MAV1 and virulence was reexamined by creating new lysogens of 158 and of a relatively avirulent mutant, strain 158-1. In the absence of lysogenization, 158 was more virulent than expected. The virulence of 158 and 158-1 did not increase upon lysogenization. A major antigenic difference between 158 and 158-1 was identified that is unrelated to MAV1 and could account for the difference in virulence.
Clapper
Brenda
B
Department of Genetics, KAUL, Room 720, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0024, USA.
Tu
Anh-Hue T
AH
Simmons
Warren L
WL
Dybvig
Kevin
K
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008242:Lysogeny; D045645:Mycoplasma arthritidis / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000821:virology*; D051381:Rats; D014774:Virulence; D016662:Virus Integration
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial