Mycoplasma

Mycoplasma is a genus of bacteria that lack a cell wall. This makes them particularly resistant to antibiotics and makes them difficult to kill. As a result, mycoplasma can cause chronic and sometimes fatal infections in humans, animals, and plants. Mycoplasma has been linked to a variety of diseases including pneumonia, meningitis, bronchitis, endocarditis, and even AIDS. Mycoplasma can also be used in research, as they are an ideal model organism for studying the interactions between bacteria and their hosts. They are also used in genetic engineering, as their small genome and lack of cell wall make them ideal candidates for gene manipulation.