Mycoplasma is a genus of bacteria that naturally and completely lacks a cell wall. This makes them unique among prokaryotes, which typically possess a cell wall made of peptidoglycan.

Because they lack this rigid outer layer, they are highly pleomorphic (can change shape) and are resistant to antibiotics like penicillin that target cell wall synthesis.

They are recognized as the smallest living cells discovered to date and can survive without oxygen.

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