Specific Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides Enhance the Recovery of Low-Load Quiescent Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Routine Diagnostics.

ABSTRACT: The culture confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB) with culture conversion representing proof of cure. However, over 40% of TB samples fail to isolate MTB even though many patients remain infectious due to the presence of viable non-culturable forms. Previously, we have shown that two short cationic peptides, T14D and TB08L, induce a hormetic response at low concentrations, leading to a stimulation of growth in MTB and the related animal pathogen Mycobacterium bovis (bTB). Here, we examine these peptides showing they can influence the mycobacterial membrane integrity and function through membrane potential reduction. We also show this disruption is associated with an abnormal reduction in transcriptomi

SUBMITTER: Bull TJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10743970 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature