PHYLOGENETIC POSITION OF RARE HUMAN MYCOPLASMAS, MYCOPLASMA-FAUCIUM, MYCOPLASMA-BUCCALE, MYCOPLASMA-PRIMATUM AND MYCOPLASMA-SPERMATOPHILUM,BASED ON 16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA GENE-SEQUENCES

The nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA genes of four rare human mycop lasma species, Mycoplasma faucium, M. buccale, M. primatum and M. sper matophilum, were partially sequenced and compared to published rRNA ge nes of mycoplasmas to determine their position in the Mollicutes phylo genetic tree. Nucleotide sequence motif and overall similarities allow ed positioning of these mycoplasmas in the hominis phylogenetic group, as defined by Weisburg et al. [Weisburg, W. G., Tully, J, G., Rose, D . L, & 9 other authors (1989). J Bacteriol 171, 6455-6467]. Furthermor e, these mycoplasmas could be clustered into two different subdivision s of the hominis group: (i) M. faucium and M. buccale were found to be included in the M. fermentans subdivision, and (ii) M. primatum and M . spermatophilum were included in the M. hominis one. Variable regions of the 16S rRNA genes were used to determine specific PCR primers to detect and identify M. faucium.