A multicopper oxidase is required for copper resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is one of the most important bacterial pathogens. Recent work has revealed that the natural bactericidal properties of copper are utilized by the host immune system to combat infections with bacteria, including M. tuberculosis. However, M. tuberculosis employs multiple mechanisms to reduce the internal copper amount by efflux and sequestration, which are required for virulence of M. tuberculosis. Here, we describe an alternative mechanism of copper resistance by M. tuberculosis. Deletion of the rv0846c gene increased the susceptibility of M. tuberculosis to copper at least 10-fold, establishing Rv0846c as a major component of copper resistance in M. tuberculosis. In vitro assays showed that Rv0846c oxidized organic substrates

SUBMITTER: Rowland JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3754562 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature