Dependence of <i>Mycoplasma bovis</i> on a novel nucleoside transporter for survival in association with host cells

<i>Mycoplasma bovis</i> causes pneumonia, mastitis, arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, and reproductive tract disease in cattle, compromising animal welfare and imposing economic losses on farmers. Development of effective control strategies against <i>M. bovis</i> requires a better understanding of the host-microbe interactions involved in the pathogenesis of the diseases it causes. Mycoplasmas are dependent on transport systems to acquire nutrients from host cells. Thus, these systems play an important role in their survival and virulence. We used a combination of metabolomic techniques to establish that a transporter gene that is essential for the survival of <i>M. bovis</i> in association with host cells plays a role in nucleoside uptake. These results highlight the importance of purine and pyrimidine metabolism in the interactions between <i>M. bovis</i> and host cells.