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Mollicute identified in novel association with aquatic invertebrate

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Abstract

Prokaryotes lacking a cell wall, formerly known as mycoplasmas were recently designated as the new class, Mollicutes. The association of unidentified “mycoplasma-like organisms” with aquatic animals has been suggested previously on the basis of visual observations alone. We report the pure-culture identification of a true mollicute, anAcholeplasma, that consistently associates with the larvae and adults of the marine bryozoanWatersipora arcuata. This represents the first confirmed nondisease association between a mollicute and an aquatic invertebrate.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Edgerton Research Laboratory, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, 02110, Boston, Massacusetts, USA

    Paul J. Boyle

  2. Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 02110, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA

    James S. Maki & Ralph Mitchell

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  1. Paul J. Boyle
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  2. James S. Maki
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  3. Ralph Mitchell
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Boyle, P.J., Maki, J.S. & Mitchell, R. Mollicute identified in novel association with aquatic invertebrate. Current Microbiology 15, 85–89 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01589367

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