Characterization of Mycoplasmatales Virus laidlawii 1

Abstract

A recent report¹ described for the first time the isolation of a virus that infects a species of mycoplasma. This agent, now designated MVL1, has been purified, examined in the electron microscope and its nucleic acid type determined. Cultures of M. laidlawii strain BN1 (ref. 1), grown in glucose serum broth or agar², were inoculated with virus during their log phase and incubated at 37° C for 18–24 h. On solid medium, plaques were observed in the mycoplasmal lawn from which virus was harvested by flooding the plate with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.3, for 3–5 h. The titre of the virus was estimated as previously reported¹.