The phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosyltransferase PimA is essential for Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth in vitro and in vivo.

ABSTRACT: The cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis contains glycans and lipids of peculiar structure that play prominent roles in the biology and pathogenesis of tuberculosis. Consequently, the chemical structure and biosynthesis of the cell wall have been intensively investigated in order to identify novel drug targets. Here, we validate that the function of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosyltransferase PimA is vital for M. tuberculosis in vitro and in vivo. PimA initiates the biosynthesis of phosphatidyl-myo-inositol mannosides by transferring a mannosyl residue from GDP-Man to phosphatidyl-myo-inositol on the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane. To prove the essential nature of pimA in M. tuberculosis, we constructed a pimA conditional mutant by using the TetR-Pip off system and showed

SUBMITTER: Boldrin F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4187664 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature