Transformation of Mycoplasmas
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Transformation of mycoplasmas was not clearly demonstrated until 1987 when Dybvig and Cassell were able to show the introduction
of the Gram-positive transposon Tn916
into Acholeplasma laidlawii
and Mycoplasma pulmonis
(1
). This was the first direct evidence that mycoplasmas could be transformed under laboratory conditions. These studies have
led to numerous attempts to develop mutagenesis schemes (2
–4
), as well as cloning vectors for gene analysis and other functions in mycoplasmas (5
–8
). The three common methods to transform bacteria, chemical treatment with calcium chloride or polyethylene glycol (PEG),
liposome-mediated delivery of encapsulated DNA, and electroporation-based procedures have all been used in mycoplasmas and
will be described here.