Mycobacterium tuberculosis transcriptional adaptation, growth arrest and dormancy phenotype development is triggered by vitamin C.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Tubercle bacilli are thought to persist in a dormant state during latent tuberculosis (TB) infection. Although little is known about the host factors that induce and maintain Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) within latent lesions, O(2) depletion, nutrient limitation and acidification are some of the stresses implicated in bacterial dormancy development/growth arrest. Adaptation to hypoxia and exposure to NO/CO is implemented through the DevRS/DosT two-component system which induces the dormancy regulon.

Methodology/principal findings

Here we show that vitamin C (ascorbic acid/AA) can serve as an additional signal to induce the DevR regulon. Physiological levels of AA scavenge O(2) and rapidly induce the DevR regulon at an estimated O(2) saturation of <30%. The k

SUBMITTER: Taneja NK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2877710 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature