Oligonucleotide probes complementary to 16S rRNA for rapid detection of mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures.

Mycoplasma contamination of cell cultures is a menace to diagnostic and research procedures. Rapid and reliable detection methods are, therefore, sorely needed. After comparing 16S rRNA sequences from those mycoplasmas that contaminate cell cultures, three different oligonucleotide probes were constructed. Two of these probes were designed to be group-specific and one to be species-specific. The three oligonucleotide probes were designed to cover all mycoplasmas commonly isolated from cell cultures. Contaminated cell lines could easily be detected by a direct filter hybridization assay in which the probes were incubated jointly. The assay proved to be rapid and sensitive with the possibility to perform and evaluate the mycoplasma testing within one working day.