This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Tauraso, N. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tauraso, N. M.

Effect of Diethylaminoethyl Dextran on the Growth of Mycoplasma in Agar

¹ Laboratory of Virology and Rickettsiology, Division of Biologics Standards, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014

ABSTRACT

The growth of certain strains of Mycoplasma is inhibited by substances present in commercial agar preparations. The addition of diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) dextran (10 mg per 100 ml) to agar media appears to enhance the growth of some strains. Of eight strains initially tested, the presence of DEAE dextran grossly enhanced the growth of three strains. One strain appeared not to be affected, and a clearly enhancing effect was not evident with four strains. Quantitative studies revealed that growth enhancement varied from 10 colony-forming units (CFU) for M. hominis type II (strain Campo) to 10^3.3 CFU for M. pulmonis (strain 880). The growth-enhancing effect is probably due to the ability of DEAE dextran to bind the sulfated polysaccharide moieties in agar and not to the DEAE dextran, per se.