Organization of the Cytoskeletons of Diverse Mollicutes
Mitchell F. Balish
from: Mollicutes: Molecular Biology and Pathogenesis (Edited by: Glenn F. Browning and Christine Citti). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2014)
Abstract
Like other organisms, mycoplasmas have cytoskeletons, which are proteinaceous, detergent-insoluble polymers that constitute important structural elements. As in other bacteria, these cytoskeletons play important roles in cell division and probably in chromosome segregation. Additionally, some groups of mycoplasmas have independently developed additional, novel cytoskeletal elements that control cell shape, polarity and movement, often with concomitant alterations to the conventional set of cytoskeletal proteins found within the bacterial domain. In this chapter the diversity, composition, organization, and assembly of the cytoskeletons of Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma mobile, Mycoplasma insons, Mycoplasma penetrans, Mycoplasma iowae, and Spiroplasma melliferum are discussed. Special attention is paid to the best-characterized cytoskeletal structure of mycoplasmas, the electron-dense core of the M. pneumoniae attachment organelle read more ...
