Activation of the eis gene in a W-Beijing strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis correlates with increased SigA levels and enhanced intracellular growth.

ABSTRACT: There is growing evidence that strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis differ in pathogenicity and transmissibility, but little is understood about the contributory factors. We have previously shown that increased expression of the principal sigma factor, SigA, mediates the capacity of M. tuberculosis strain 210 to grow more rapidly in human monocytes, compared with other strains. Strain 210 is part of the widespread W-Beijing family of M. tuberculosis strains and includes clinical isolate TB294. To identify genes that respond to changes in SigA levels and that might enhance intracellular growth, we examined RNA and protein expression patterns in TB294-pSigA, a recombinant strain of TB294 that overexpresses sigA from a multicopy plasmid. Lysates from broth-grown cultures of TB294-pSigA conta

SUBMITTER: Wu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2897129 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature