mycoplasma
C2Technical/Scientific
Definition
Meaning
A very small type of bacteria that lacks a rigid cell wall and can cause diseases in humans, animals, and plants.
A genus of the smallest self-replicating prokaryotes in the class Mollicutes, characterized by the absence of a cell wall and a plasma membrane containing sterols for stability. They are parasitic or saprotrophic and are notable for causing respiratory and urogenital tract infections, as well as plant diseases.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is almost exclusively used in medical, veterinary, and biological contexts. It refers both to the genus *Mycoplasma* and, informally, to any bacterium within the class Mollicutes. It is a hypernym for specific pathogenic species like *M. pneumoniae*.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling is identical. Pronunciation differences are minimal (see IPA).
Connotations
Purely technical/scientific in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general language but standard in relevant professional fields in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Mycoplasma causes [disease/condition][Disease/Condition] is caused by mycoplasma.The patient was diagnosed with a mycoplasma [infection/pneumonia].The sample tested positive for mycoplasma.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Core term in microbiology, veterinary science, medicine, and plant pathology. Used in research papers, textbooks, and diagnoses.
Everyday
Extremely rare. A patient might hear it from a doctor explaining a diagnosis of 'walking pneumonia' (mycoplasma pneumonia).
Technical
The primary register. Used in lab reports, clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical research (e.g., cell culture contamination), and agricultural science.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The mycoplasmal culture required special media.
- They studied the mycoplasma genetics.
American English
- The mycoplasmal culture required special media.
- They studied the mycoplasma genetics.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The doctor said it wasn't a normal flu, but a mycoplasma infection.
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common cause of 'walking pneumonia' in older children and young adults.
- Cell cultures must be regularly screened for mycoplasma contamination.
- The research focused on the unique molecular pathogenesis of Mycoplasma genitalium in persistent urogenital tract infections.
- Due to the absence of a cell wall, mycoplasmas are intrinsically resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillin.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'MY COAT is PLAin and lacks a wall' – Mycoplasma lacks a cell *wall*, and its membrane is plain (simple).
Conceptual Metaphor
THE STEALTH PATHOGEN (due to its small size, lack of cell wall making it resistant to some antibiotics, and ability to cause persistent, 'atypical' infections).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'микоплазма' (правильный прямой перевод).
- Не смешивать с 'грибок' (fungus). 'Myco-' в mycoplasma происходит от греческого 'mykes' (гриб) из-за грибоподобной формы роста, но это бактерия, а не грибок.
Common Mistakes
- Mispronunciation: /ˈmaɪ.kəˌplæz.mə/ (wrong stress). Correct stress is on the third syllable.
- Using 'mycoplasma' as a common noun without an article or in plural incorrectly (e.g., 'He has mycoplasma'). Better: 'He has a mycoplasma infection' or 'He is infected with mycoplasma.'
- Confusing it with a virus or fungus.
Practice
Quiz
What is a defining characteristic of mycoplasmas?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a bacterium, but one of the smallest and simplest known, lacking a cell wall.
Most commonly respiratory infections like 'walking pneumonia' (caused by M. pneumoniae) and urogenital infections (caused by M. genitalium).
It is a common, hard-to-detect contaminant in cell cultures, which can alter cell behavior and ruin research results or biopharmaceutical production.
With specific antibiotics that target protein synthesis or DNA replication (e.g., tetracyclines, macrolides), as standard antibiotics like penicillin that target cell walls are ineffective.