Functional analysis of molybdopterin biosynthesis in mycobacteria identifies a fused molybdopterin synthase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: Most mycobacterial species possess a full complement of genes for the biosynthesis of molybdenum cofactor (MoCo). However, a distinguishing feature of members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex is their possession of multiple homologs associated with the first two steps of the MoCo biosynthetic pathway. A mutant of M. tuberculosis lacking the moaA1-moaD1 gene cluster and a derivative in which moaD2 was also deleted were significantly impaired for growth in media containing nitrate as a sole nitrogen source, indicating a reduced availability of MoCo to support the assimilatory function of the MoCo-dependent nitrate reductase, NarGHI. However, the double mutant displayed residual respiratory nitrate reductase activity, suggesting that it retains the capacity to produce MoCo. The M. tu

SUBMITTER: Williams MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3019926 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature