Application of an easy and reliable method for sulfolipid-I detection in the study of its distribution in Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains.
Sulfolipid-I (SL-I) is a specific Mycobacterium tuberculosis glycolipid that has been involved in the mechanisms of tuberculoid infection. Until now, a limited number of M. tuberculosis strains have been studied to ascertain their SL-I content, mainly due to the laborious techniques of purification used: DEAE-cellulose column chromatography (DEAE) or extensive solvent extractions. We designed a two-dimensional thin layer chromatographic (2D-TLC) system which allows the easy and reliable detection of SL-I in small amounts of M. tuberculosis-free glycolipid extracts without previous purification. A characteristic SL-I signal was clearly identified by a differential cresyl violet metachromatic stain. Seven clinical isolates, M. tuberculosis H(37)Ra, H(37)Rv and Canetti strains were tested by DEAE and the 2D-TLC system. Identical results were found using both methodologies. The 2D-TLC methodology devised could be applied to a large number of strains to ascertain easily the distribution of SL-I in the strains of M. tuberculosis species.
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Departamento de Genética y de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 (Barcelona), Bellaterra, Spain.
Cama
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Gibert
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Luquin
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D002848:Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose / Q000379:methods; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000737:chemistry*
D008055:Lipids; C015518:sulfolipids