
Acholeplasma laidlawii

Acholeplasma laidlawii are small bacteria which lack a cell wall. Like other Acholeplasma and Mycoplasma, "A. laidlawii" has been identified as a common contaminant of growth media for cell culture.
History.
"A. laidlawii" was first isolated from sewage in London in 1936 and was named after its discoverer, Patrick Laidlaw.
Genetics.
"A. laidlawii" has a relatively small genome comprising 1.5Mbp. Additionally its genome has a low GC-content of just 31%. The "A. laidlawii" genome has been sequenced.
In Research.
"Acholeplasma laidlawii" may contaminate bovine serum and also occurs in serum-free cell culture media products. The presence of "A. laidlawii" in broth powders is a serious problem in routine biopharmaceutical operations where filtration is used as a sterilisation procedure. "A. laidlawii" may flourish and survive for prolonged periods at refrigeration and ambient temperatures in serum-free cell culture media.