Properties of the nucleases of mollicutes

Abstract
Extracts of the Mollicutes Acholeplasma equifetale, A. laidlawii B, Mycoplasma arthritidis, M. pulmonis and M. pneumoniae had DNase and endonuclease activity. A. laidlawii B had at least 2 peaks of DNase activity in sucrose gradients with sedimentation coefficients of 3.1 and 4.3S. These fractions also had endonuclease activity with different substrate specificities. A. laidlawii B may have > 2 peaks of endonuclease activity in sucrose gradients.