An emerging mycoplasma associated with trichomoniasis, vaginal infection and disease

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 22;9(10):e110943. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110943. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Humans are colonized by thousands of bacterial species, but it is difficult to assess the metabolic and pathogenic potential of the majority of these because they have yet to be cultured. Here, we characterize an uncultivated vaginal mycoplasma tightly associated with trichomoniasis that was previously known by its 16S rRNA sequence as "Mnola." In this study, the mycoplasma was found almost exclusively in women infected with the sexually transmitted pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis, but rarely observed in women with no diagnosed disease. The genomes of four strains of this species were reconstructed using metagenome sequencing and assembly of DNA from four discrete mid-vaginal samples, one of which was obtained from a pregnant woman with trichomoniasis who delivered prematurely. These bacteria harbor several putative virulence factors and display unique metabolic strategies. Genes encoding proteins with high similarity to potential virulence factors include two collagenases, a hemolysin, an O-sialoglycoprotein endopeptidase and a feoB-type ferrous iron transport system. We propose the name "Candidatus Mycoplasma girerdii" for this potential new pathogen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Coinfection / microbiology*
  • Communicable Diseases, Emerging / microbiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Molecular Typing
  • Mycoplasma / classification
  • Mycoplasma / genetics*
  • Mycoplasma / isolation & purification
  • Mycoplasma Infections / microbiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / microbiology
  • RNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / genetics
  • Trichomonas Vaginitis / microbiology*
  • Trichomonas vaginalis / physiology
  • Vagina / metabolism
  • Vagina / microbiology

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • BspA protein, bacteria
  • Membrane Proteins
  • RNA, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Associated data

  • GENBANK/CP007711