The conserved hypothetical protein Rv0574c is required for cell wall integrity, stress tolerance, and virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

ABSTRACT: The virulence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is intimately related to its distinctive cell wall. The biological significance of poly-α-L-glutamine (PLG), a component in the cell wall of virulent mycobacteria, has not been explored adequately. The focus of this study is to investigate the role of a locus, Rv0574c, coding for a polyglutamate synthase-like protein, in the synthesis of poly-α-L-glutamine in the context of mycobacterial virulence. Evaluation of Rv0574c gene expression in M. tuberculosis demonstrated its growth-phase-linked induction with concomitant accumulation of poly-α-L-glutamine in the cell wall. Rv0574c was activated under conditions prevalent in the tubercular granuloma, e.g., hypoxia, nitric oxide, and CO2. For functional characterization, we produced a deletion mutant o

SUBMITTER: Garg R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4288862 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature