Non-fermenting mycoplasma species deplete culture media for arginine through arginase activity linked to their arginine deiminase pathway, resulting in proliferation arrest and cell death in mycoplasma-contaminated cell cultures. The presence of only 2-3 Mycoplasma (M.) arginini-contaminated T cells in a one-way allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte culture (MLC) significantly inhibits development of cytotoxic T-cell activity. Likewise, strong degrees of inhibition are observed after addition of nanogram doses of M. arginini extracts (MAE) to MLC or cell proliferation cultures. M. arginini-induced cell inhibition can be reversed by addition of excess arginine to the culture medium. Antisera raised against non-fermenting, but not against fermenting, mycoplasma species block the inhibitory effect of MAE. SDS-PAGE separation of MAE disclosed a broad band at 60 kDa which contained arginase activity when assayed in MLC and cell proliferation culture. SDS-PAGE followed by western blotting and reaction with antisera raised against non-fermenting mycoplasma species demonstrated a band at 43 kDa common for these micro-organisms.