Origins of the mycoplasmas: sterol-nonrequiring mycoplasmas evolved from streptococci

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Abstract
The establishment of a phylogenetic relationship between the sterol-nonrequiring mycoplasmas (Acholeplasma spp.) and streptococci is reported. Three specific antisera prepared against purified Streptococcus faecalis fructose diphosphate aldolase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and Pediococcus cerevisiae glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were used for comparative enzyme immunological studies; the Ouchterlony double-diffusion technique and the quantitative microcomplement fixation procedure were employed. The reactions obtained provide evidence showing that all 7 Acholeplasma spp. studied (A. laidlawii, A. granularum, A. modicum, A. oculi, A. axanthum, A. hippikon and A. equifetale) are phylogenetically related to streptococci and that they evolved from streptococci. Thus, the acholeplasmas comprise a distinct evolutionary group that evidently has diverged from streptococci belonging to Lancefield group D or N. No reactions were observed between these enzyme antisera and cell extracts from 6 fermentative Mycoplasma spp. Mycoplasmas apparently are derived from various bacteria.

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