The Small and Simple Cell:Mycoplasma

　　What is mycoplasma?Mycoplasma is the smallest and simplest cell discovered so far in the world.Although it is an extremely simple life form,it already possesses the basic morphological structure of a cell.It also exhibits the main characteristics of a basic unit capable of life activities.Mycoplasma can grow on culture media and has a typical cell membrane.A circular double helix serves as the carrier of a relatively small amount of genetic information.It is associated with ribosomes,mostly in the form of polyribosomes,which direct the synthesis of approximately seven hundred different kinds of proteins.This may represent the minimum number of proteins necessary for cell survival.Mycoplasma reproduces by binary fission(splitting into two).The features mentioned above are fundamentally different from those of non-cellular life forms such as viruses.