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Abstract
Joblin, K.N. and Naylor, G.E. 2002. The ruminal mycoplasmas: a review. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 21: 161–179.
Mycoplasmas, originally believed to be very primitive microbes but since found to have evolved from Gram-positive bacteria, are of considerable scientific interest because they are the smallest prokaryotes capable of self replication. Their unusual phenotype and lack of a cell wall would seem to make mycoplasmas vulnerable to microbial attack in complex microbial environments, yet they are present at population densities of at least 107-108 per gram digesta in the rumen microbial ecosystem and appear to be a normal part of the rumen microflora. The ruminal mycoplasmas are unusual in that they are the only known obligately anaerobic mycoplasmas. The five known species have been classified to two genera within a new family, the Anaeroplasmataceae, within the class Mollicutes. Whereas, many mycoplasmas from other environments grow only as parasites, those isolated from the rumen are fermentative and grow in the absence of a host. There is no evidence that they parasitise other rumen inbabitants although often they are co-isolated with fungi, protozoa and methanogens. Their role in the rumen is largely unknown. This review outlines the current knowledge on ruminal mycoplasmas including their isolation and culture, phylogeny, metabolism, genetics, diversity and putative ecological roles.