Mycothiol is essential for growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Erdman.
Mycothiol (MSH) is the major low-molecular-mass thiol in mycobacteria and is associated with the protection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from toxic oxidants and antibiotics. The biosynthesis of MSH is a multistep process, with the enzymatic reaction designated MshC being the ligase step in MSH production. A targeted disruption of the native mshC gene in M. tuberculosis Erdman produced no viable clones possessing either a disrupted mshC gene or reduced levels of MSH. However, when a second copy of the mshC gene was incorporated into the chromosome prior to the targeted disruption, multiple clones having the native gene disrupted and the second copy of mshC intact were obtained. These clones produced normal levels of MSH. These results demonstrate that the mshC gene and, more generally, the production of MSH are essential for the growth of M. tuberculosis Erdman under laboratory conditions.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA.
Dipti
D
Sareen
Gerald L
GL
Newton
Robert C
RC
Fahey
Nancy A
NA
Buchmeier
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D020043:Genes, Essential; D006020:Glycopeptides; D007294:Inositol; D008025:Ligases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009160:Mycobacteriophages / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000821:virology; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003470:Culture Media; D004187:Disaccharides; D006020:Glycopeptides; D011720:Pyrazoles; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; C089265:mycothiol; D007294:Inositol; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D008025:Ligases; D003545:Cysteine