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Mycoplasma Testing

Reliable detection of mycoplasma contamination

Protect your cultures from hidden contamination

Mycoplasmas are small prokaryotic organisms that are too small to be visible in microscopy and cannot be eliminated by common antibiotics. They may affect growth, proliferation and morphology of cell lines, which can lead to unreliable experimental results.

Approximately 15 to 35 % of continuous cell lines are contaminated with mycoplasma1,2. A frequent control is therefore recommended to guarantee a mycoplasma-free environment.

Cell culture work in the Cytion laboratory

Two Test Options

Cytion offers both short-term and long-term testing

Rapid Mycoplasma Test
Short-term test. Your samples are tested immediately after arrival
Premium Mycoplasma Test
Long-term test. A cell culture is initiated and the cells are tested after 14 days of antibiotic-free cultivation

Analysis Methods

Colorimetric reporter assay

This test is a cell-based colorimetric assay. In the presence of mycoplasma, a reporter cell line induces a signaling cascade that changes the color of the medium from red to blue. The assay is performed in 96-well plates and read in a microplate spectrophotometer at 620 to 655 nm. All mycoplasma and acholeplasma species are detected, as well as other bacterial contaminants in cell culture.

Isothermal amplification

A fast and reliable test based on isothermal amplification of mycoplasma-specific DNA with real-time detection using a DNA-intercalating dye. It detects the six most common species, which account for more than 95 % of contaminations: M. orale, M. hyorhinis, M. arginini, M. fermentans, M. hominis and A. laidlawii. Because of sequence homology, other species are detected as well (M. pneumoniae, M. gallisepticum and M. synoviae). Positive and negative samples are distinguished by the melting temperature (Tm).

Samples

Rapid test
At least 50 µl of cell suspension containing 50,000 cells. The suspension can be shipped at ambient temperature
Premium test
At least 1 million cells in a suitable freeze medium to ensure a robust and healthy culture. Please ship the samples on dry ice

Please fill in the Mycoplasma Testing Sample Form and include it with your sample shipment.

Download the sample form

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Jannes Steinmann
YOUR CONTACT
Jannes Steinmann
Head of Cell Biology
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SOURCES
  1. Uphoff CC, Drexler HG. Comparative PCR analysis for detection of mycoplasma infections in continuous cell lines. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol Anim. 2002;38(2):79–85. doi:10.1290/1071-2690(2002)038<0079:CPAFDO>2.0.CO;2
  2. Drexler HG, Uphoff CC. Mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures: incidence, sources, effects, detection, elimination, prevention. Cytotechnology. 2002;39(2):75–90. doi:10.1023/A:1022913015916