Lexic.us

Definition of Mycobacteria

1. Noun. Rod-shaped bacteria some saprophytic or causing diseases.

Definition of Mycobacteria

1. Noun. (plural of mycobacterium) ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Mycobacteria

1. mycobacterium [n] - See also: mycobacterium

Medical Definition of Mycobacteria

1. Bacteria with unusual cell walls that are resistant to digestion, being waxy, very hydrophobic and rich in lipid, especially esterified mycolic acids. Staining properties differ from those of gram-negative and gram-positive organisms, being acid-fast. Many are intracellular parasites, causing serious diseases such as leprosy and tuberculosis. Cell wall has strong immunostimulating (adjuvant) properties due to muramyl dipeptide (MDP). Mycobacterium bovis causes tuberculosis in cattle, attenuated strain is Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), used for immunisation. Mycobacterium leprae is the causative agent of leprosy. Mycobacterium microti is a mycobacterium that causes tuberculosis like disease in small rodents (Microtus microtus is the vole), will infect mice but not humans and is therefore much used as a laboratory model. Releases large amounts of cAMP which may inhibit lysosome phagosome fusion. Mycobacterium tuberculosis Is an obligate anaerobic nonmotile bacterium, causative agent of tuberculosis in humans. Lives intracellularly in macrophages. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Mycobacteria

Literary usage of Mycobacteria

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Botanical Abstracts by Board of Control of Botanical Abstracts (1921)
"A detailed study is presented of a large number of soil-inhabiting mycobacteria. The growth and pigment production on potato was not found to be as ..."

2. Biosafety in the Laboratory: Prudent Practices for the Handling and Disposal by National Research Council (U. S.) (1989)
"Presumably these infections were due to mycobacteria other than M. ... A number of mycobacteria which are ubiquitous in nature are associated with diseases ..."

3. The Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics (1888)
"THE COMPLEMENT-FIXING CAPACITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS OF mycobacteria By DSP PATTERSON AND AB ... METHODS Strains of mycobacteria. Human strains, PN, DT and C; ..."

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