[Microbiology] Re: Cell wall deficient bacteria

[Tom Knight]

Yoram Gerchman <gerchman from research.haifa.ac.il> writes:

> I am looking for a BSL1/2 cell wall deficient bacteria to be used in
> college level research. I know some pathogenic mycobacteria are cell
> wall deficient but would rather have some non pathogenic.  Any
> ideas?

Well, the one I work with is Mesoplasma florum, which was chosen as
being of no interest whatsoever to anyone: not the MDs, Vets, nor the
plant pathologists.  It grows reasonably fast (doubling in 40 minutes,
like yeast) and will not grow at 37C.  It's BSL-1, and it hasn't
killed us yet.  As a mycoplasma, it has only a membrane, no cell wall.
We have complete sequence (Genbank NC_006055) and lots of experience
with it.