Mycobacterium tuberculosis nuoG is a virulence gene that inhibits apoptosis of infected host cells.

ABSTRACT: The survival and persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis depends on its capacity to manipulate multiple host defense pathways, including the ability to actively inhibit the death by apoptosis of infected host cells. The genetic basis for this anti-apoptotic activity and its implication for mycobacterial virulence have not been demonstrated or elucidated. Using a novel gain-of-function genetic screen, we demonstrated that inhibition of infection-induced apoptosis of macrophages is controlled by multiple genetic loci in M. tuberculosis. Characterization of one of these loci in detail revealed that the anti-apoptosis activity was attributable to the type I NADH-dehydrogenase of M. tuberculosis, and was mainly due to the subunit of this multicomponent complex encoded by the nuoG gene. Expres

SUBMITTER: Velmurugan K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1924871 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature