Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae

Other Scientific Names

• Mycoplasma F38
• Mycoplasma strain F38

English acronym

• MCCP

• Domain: Bacteria
•     Phylum: Firmicutes
•         Class: Mollicutes
•             Order: Mycoplasmatales
•                 Family: Mycoplasmataceae
•                     Genus: Mycoplasma
•                         Species: Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae

M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae is a member of the Mycoplasma mycoides cluster which are a phylogenetically related grouping of ruminant mycoplasmas and include M.capricolum subsp. capricolum, M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC, M. mycoides subsp. mycoides LC, M. mycoides subsp. capri, and Bg7. The phenotypic and genetic traits shared in this group have their basis in conventional biochemical and immunological tests such as colony size and growth characteristics, substrate utilization, isozyme patterns, protein profiles and DNA hybridization studies (Rodwell, 1982; Salih and Rosenbusch, 1983; Cottew et al., 1987). A close relationship between M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae and M. capricolum subsp. capricolum was found by DNA probes and sequence comparison of members of the M. mycoides cluster but a probe capable of distinguishing between them was developed indicating that they were differences between the species (Taylor et al., 1992). Comparisons of sequences of a putative membrane protein from these strains also showed a close relationship between M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae and M.capricolum subsp. capricolum which together with Bg7 formed a subcluster distinct from the M. mycoides subspecies (Thiaucourt et al., 2000).

Phylogenetic groupings have been made by close examination of the sequences from both operons of 16S rRNA from many mycoplasmas and confirm the position of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae within the M. mycoides cluster which is in the spiroplasma group (Weisburg et al., 1989; Bascuñana et al., 1994; Pettersson et al., 1996a; Pettersson et al., 1996b; Pettersson et al., 1998). Intraspecific variations in these genes from M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae strains from diverse geographic areas have shown the existence of two evolutionary lines, and this has also been the finding from molecular typing by the AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) method (Kokotovic et al., 2000). Analyses of the 16sRNA genes from a narrower ranging group of strains have also shown sequence differences, and collectively, the number of differences between these strains was found to be greater that the number of differences used to distinguish between species of mycoplasmas. Nevertheless, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis may be a useful epidemiological tool for M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae (Heldtander et al., 2001).

The polysaccharide capsule of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae may have a similar role to that described for M. mycoides subsp. mycoides SC in contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP) (Rurangirwa et al., 1987). The galactan capsules are generally considered to promote pathogenicity either directly by toxic effects, or by promoting resistance to phagocytosis (Rosenbusch and Minion, 1992).

There is very little information on the pathogenic mechanisms of M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae, although some hypothesis can be drawn from comparison with other mycoplasmoses and especially with CBPP (Thiaucourt and Bölske, 1996). A striking feature of CCPP is the host and tissue specificity of the causative agent, as lesions are produced only in goat lungs. Some mycoplasmas have adhesins, but no such component has yet been described for M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae. Although M. capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae is present in high quantities in affected lungs, there is no dissemination to other organs. This may be due to a specific reaction of the lung tissue towards a mycoplasmal component that leads to an exacerbated inflammatory response (Thiaucourt and Bölske, 1996).

Disease(s) associated with this pathogen is/are on the list of diseases notifiable to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The distribution section contains data from OIE's Handistatus database on disease occurrence. Please see the AHPC library for further information from OIE, including the International Animal Health Code and the Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines. Also see the website: www.oie.int.