Definition of Mycobacteria

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


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

mycetoma
mycetoma
mycetomas
mycetomata
mycetomatous
mycetophagous
Mycetophilidae
mycetozoan
mycetozoans
mycid
mycinamicin III O-methyltransferase
myco-
mycobacillin
mycobacillin synthetase
mycobacteria (current term)
mycobacteria (current term)
mycobacteriaceae
Mycobacteriaceae
mycobacterial
mycobacteriophages
mycobacteriosis
mycobacterium
mycobacterium
Mycobacterium abscessus
mycobacterium avium
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex
mycobacterium avium-intracellulare infection
mycobacterium avium complex
mycobacterium avium complex disease
mycobacterium bovis

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