SUMMARY: A characteristic feature of the mycoplasmas is the presence of variable surface proteins which may play an important role in the adaptation of the cell-wall-less organisms to their host environments. In addition, this antigen variation may be an important pathogenic property of the organism. The ubiquity of the gene encoding P50, an adhesin of Mycop/asrna hominis FBG, and its transcription were analysed in different isolates ofM. horninis. The p50 gene was present in all isolates tested. Based on Southern blot analysis and sequencing of the gene, the isolates could be classified into one of three
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