Mycoplasmas are parasitic bacteria that frequently contaminate tissue cultures and consequently also virus stocks, vaccines, and other biological materials produced in cells. The contamination can originate from serum, laboratory staff, other contaminated cultures, or the donors from which the cells have been harvested, and it often remains unnoticed. Although mycoplasmas do not cause visible cell damage, they seriously affect cell growth and metabolism, transfection efficiency, protein and monoclonal antibody synthesis, cytokine secretion, immunological properties, signal transduction, virus proliferation and can even
cause DNA and RNA damage.
Since mycoplasmas are very small and lack cell walls, detection using a conventional light microscope is nearly impossible. In addition, cloudiness in the medium, typical for bacterial or yeast contaminations, does not occur even at high mycoplasma concentrations. PCR on the other hand is a highly sensitive, specific, and rapid method for the detection of mycoplasma contamination in culture supernatant, cell/virus stocks, and medium. All cell/tissue culture relevant mycoplasma species can be detected in one assay including M. fermentans, M. hyorhinis, M. arginini, M. orale, M. salivarium, M. hominis, M. pulmonis, and M. pirum. In addition, Acholeplasma laidlawii, M. synoviae, and Ureaplasma species can be detected.
