Real-Time Mycoplasma Detection

Early detection and/or identification of certain specific, objectionable microbes (or organisms of concern) can yield significant quality and efficiency benefits for an organization. One such organism is Mycoplasma and rapid detection methodologies can play a key role in reducing the risk associated with in-process contamination, improving final product quality and increasing operational efficiency.

A variety of screening methodologies are commonly used within industry today, ranging from traditional culture techniques to modern molecular based (target RNA or DNA) rapid technologies that yield significantly faster results and in many cases much greater accuracy. Modern molecular screening methodologies are commonly implemented as presence/absence early warning systems for microbial targets that commonly escape detection by traditional culture methods. Thus many screening tests typically target “slow growers” that require a significant workload or timeframe to detect by traditional culture methods.

Such rapid Mycoplasma detection methods when implemented effectively allow you to identify contamination events sooner, perform corrective action earlier in your production process (sometimes as it occurs), and significantly reduce downstream processing risks, limiting the impact of the event and ultimately reducing downtime.

MilliPROBE Real-Time Detection System for Mycoplasma

The MilliPROBE system is an in-process early warning system that will provide you with faster, more effective detection of Mycoplasma in your bioreactor. The MilliPROBE system combines speed, sensitivity and reliability in one test method enabling you to detect any potential Mycoplasma contamination events earlier in your process. It provides presence/absence results within four hours, compared to 28 days for traditional detection methods, enabling you to pinpoint contamination earlier, limiting the impact of the event and reducing downtime.

MilliPROBE Real-Time Detecion System benefits:

• Detection and analysis in four hours
• Designed to meet EP 2.6.7 guidelines
• Processes up to 20mL of bioreactor matrix
• Detects commonly occurring Mycoplasma species with a sensitivity of <1-10 CFU/mL
• Detection of multicopy rRNA using Real-Time Transcription Mediated Amplification with Background Reduction Technology
• Easy to use assay requires minimal training

Mycoplasma Tissue Culture Non-Isotopic Rapid Detection -
MTC-NI System

This easy to use system is ideal for tissue culture labs for screening small sample volumes for Mycoplasma.

Mycoplasma (e.g microorganisms belonging to class Molicutes) contamination is a widespread and reoccurring problem in a wide variety of cell culture systems. These organisms are small (0.2 – 0.3 µm), lack a cell wall and are antibiotic tolerant. This allows them to grow to high titers without exhibiting typical bacterial contamination signs such as a change in turbidity, which traditional growth based methods can not detect. Current methods for positive detection of species belonging to this genus include plating onto agar and liquid co-cultures with VERO cells followed by DNA staining. Although these technologies yield sensitive and reliable results the time to result is typically 2 – 4 weeks.


MTC-NI system benefits:

• Detection and analysis in only 75 minutes including 15 minutes of hands-on time
• Detects commonly occurring Mycoplasma species with a sensitivity of 10⁵ microorganisms or higher
• Detection of multicopy rRNA using Gen-Probe Hybridization Protection Assay (HPA) technology to ensure sensitivity and robustness
• Ideal as a first line screening tool for broad spectrum detection of microorganisms
• Easy to use assay requires minimal training
• Small sample volumes

Products	Services
MilliPROBE Real-time Detection System	QPCR from MicroSafe Biosafety Solutions Laboratory, Europe
MTC-NI System