Arginine catabolism by Mycoplasma meleagridis and its role in pathogenesis.

A thin-layer chromatography technique was used to study the arginine metabolism of Mycoplasma meleagridis. The technique reflected the enzyme activity of the dihydrolase pathway through detection of readily visible end products on X-ray film. Strains of M. meleagridis differing in their pathogenicity for turkeys did not vary in arginine metabolism. In addition, no significant difference was observed in plasma arginine concentrations between M. meleagridis-infected and uninfected poults. It was concluded that the pathogenesis of M. meleagridis infection in turkeys was not based on its competition with the host for arginine.