Mycoplasma agassizii
Mycoplasma agassizii is a species of bacteria in the genus Mycoplasma. This genus of bacteria lacks a cell wall around their cell membrane. Without a cell wall, they are unaffected by many common antibiotics such as penicillin or other beta-lactam antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis. Mycoplasma are the smallest bacterial cells yet discovered, can survive without oxygen and are typically about 0.1 μm in diameter.
Cultures are available from the Mollicutes Culture Collection.
This mycoplasma species was originally isolated from a species of desert tortoise Gopherus agassizii which was named for by Louis Agassiz.
Since its discovery, it has been recovered from other species of tortoises:Geochelone chilensis or Chaco tortoiseGeochelone pardalis or Leopard tortoiseGeochelone elegans or Indian star tortoiseGeochelone forstenii or Travancore tortoiseGeochelone sulcate or African spurred tortoiseGopherus agassizii or desert tortoiseGopherus polyphemus or Gopher tortoiseIndotestudo speciesTerrapene carolina bauri or Florida box turtleTestudo graeca graeca or Spur-thighed tortoiseTestudo graeca ibera or Spur-thighed tortoise
The type strain is PS6 = ATCC 700616 = CCUG 53180 and available from the Mollicutes Culture Collection, University of Florida.