Control of replication and gene expression by ADP-ribosylation of DNA in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

ABSTRACT: Mycobacterium tuberculosis maintains long-term infections characterised by the need to regulate growth and adapt to contrasting in vivo environments. Here we show that M. tuberculosis complex bacteria utilise reversible ADP-ribosylation of single-stranded DNA as a mechanism to coordinate stationary phase growth with transcriptional adaptation. The DNA-modification is controlled by DarT, an ADP-ribosyl transferase, which adds ADP-ribose to thymidine, and DarG, which enzymatically removes this base modification. Using darG-knockdown M. bovis BCG, we map the first DNA-ADP-ribosylome from any organism. We show that inhibition of replication by DarT is reversible and accompanied by extensive ADP-ribosylation at the origin of replication (OriC). In addition, we observe ADP-ribosylation across t

SUBMITTER: Rachel Butler 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44318-025-00451-Y | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other