The Mycoplasma mycoides cluster

Dr. Joerg Jores described, in a recent study by researchers from ILRI, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology and partners in Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the USA, the history and relationships of pathogens that cause both bovine and caprine diseases such as contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and contagious caprine pleuropneumonia.

The study, 'The origin of the "Mycoplasma mycoides cluster" coincides with domestication of ruminants,' was published in the April 2012 edition of the Public Library of Science (PLoS, 27 Apr 2012). The researchers found that the members of the so called 'Mycoplasma mycoides cluster', which cause contagious bovine pleuropneumonia and other diseases in ruminants, arose at the same time as humans first started to domesticate wild ruminants.

The onset of domestication of livestock about 10,000 years ago, which established large ruminant populations and the herding of mixed species, is thought to have contributed to creating the conditions favoring the spread and diversification of the pathogens by allowing them to adapt to different hosts.

We are now exploiting large-scale comparative genomics, pan-genome and reverse vaccinology approaches to study the 'Mycoplasma mycoides cluster' in order to develop diagnostic assays and vaccines for the benefit of the livestock dependent people.

Resources

Primary contacts: Joerg Jores and Elise Schieck

• Mycoplasma research page:
  https://sites.google.com/site/mollicutesresearch/
• Mycoplasma news:
  
  • Cattle pneumonia pathogen arose with domestication of ruminants ten thousand years ago, researchers say
  • Lethal family tree: ILRI research shows livestock bacterium is as old as the livestock it kills