Mutations in putative mutator genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains of the W-Beijing family.
Alterations in genes involved in the repair of DNA mutations (mut genes) result in an increased mutation frequency and better adaptability of the bacterium to stressful conditions. W-Beijing genotype strains displayed unique missense alterations in three putative mut genes, including two of the mutT type (Rv3908 and mutT2) and ogt. These polymorphisms were found to be characteristic and unique to W-Beijing phylogenetic lineage. Analysis of the mut genes in 55 representative W-Beijing isolates suggests a sequential acquisition of the mutations, elucidating a plausible pathway of the molecular evolution of this clonal family. The acquisition of mut genes may explain in part the ability of the isolates of W-Beijing type to rapidly adapt to their environment.
Ebrahimi-Rad
Mina
M
Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
Bifani
Pablo
P
Martin
Carlos
C
Kremer
Kristin
K
Samper
Sofia
S
Rauzier
Jean
J
Kreiswirth
Barry
B
Blazquez
Jesus
J
Jouan
Marc
M
van Soolingen
Dick
D
Gicquel
Brigitte
B
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D020137:Base Pair Mismatch / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002681:China; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000235:genetics; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000382:microbiology