About this Research Topic
The class Mollicutes (trivial name “mycoplasma”) encompasses a large group of bacteria having no cell-wall and a minute size genome (580 to 2,200 kb). From an evolutionary point of view, Mollicutes are derived from a common ancestor to Gram-positive bacteria with low G+C content and are considered as some of the most evolved prokaryotes. Despite their limited coding capacity, most Mollicutes can be cultivated in axenic media and thus include some of the simplest life-forms capable of autonomous replication. As such, these minimal bacteria have been used as a biological model to decipher cell functions and as blueprints for the synthesis of synthetic minimal genomes. Far from models, this monophyletic group is well known to include a broad range of important human, animal, plant and insect pathogens. In their hosts, these minimal pathogens usually establish persistent infections along with degenerative diseases which have a significant impact on human and animal health as well as on livestock and crop production.
The development of genetic tools for manipulating Mollicute's genomes together with the advances in comparative and functional genomics has transformed mycoplasma research. While these progresses have started to uncover new insights into their fascinating evolution and biology, it is now clear that these minimal bacteria have adapted to hostile host environments through a surprisingly sophisticated variety of ways, many of which remain to be explored. In turn, the adaptability of Mollicutes may explain our failure in providing efficient control strategies for several important pathogenic species.
This Research Topic covers a broad range of topics and aims at gathering the latest development in mycoplasmology research, including but not limited to:
• Mollicutes evolution
• Mollicutes biology and genetics
• Functional and comparative genomics of Mollicutes
• Interactions between Mollicutes and their hosts (plants, insects, animals or humans)
• Mollicute virulence factors and pathogenesis
• New and emerging Mollicutes
• Mollicute diagnostic tools
• Study addressing Mollicitute antimicrobials and resistance
• Study addressing the control of Mollicute diseases
Please note that review, mini-review and original research articles are welcome.
The development of genetic tools for manipulating Mollicute's genomes together with the advances in comparative and functional genomics has transformed mycoplasma research. While these progresses have started to uncover new insights into their fascinating evolution and biology, it is now clear that these minimal bacteria have adapted to hostile host environments through a surprisingly sophisticated variety of ways, many of which remain to be explored. In turn, the adaptability of Mollicutes may explain our failure in providing efficient control strategies for several important pathogenic species.
This Research Topic covers a broad range of topics and aims at gathering the latest development in mycoplasmology research, including but not limited to:
• Mollicutes evolution
• Mollicutes biology and genetics
• Functional and comparative genomics of Mollicutes
• Interactions between Mollicutes and their hosts (plants, insects, animals or humans)
• Mollicute virulence factors and pathogenesis
• New and emerging Mollicutes
• Mollicute diagnostic tools
• Study addressing Mollicitute antimicrobials and resistance
• Study addressing the control of Mollicute diseases
Please note that review, mini-review and original research articles are welcome.
Keywords: Mycoplasma, Virulence, Pathogenesis, Evolution, Antibiotics
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
