title: The carbon starvation-inducible genes Rv2557 and Rv2558 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are not required for long-term survival under carbon starvation and for virulence in SCID mice.
abstract: Mycobacterium tuberculosis genes Rv2557 and Rv2558 have no known function. However, proteome, transcriptome and in situ hybridization studies have shown that these genes are significantly upregulated under carbon-starved conditions and in human granulomas, suggesting that they may play a role in persistence. Single and double deletion mutants of M. tuberculosis H37Rv in Rv2557 and/or Rv2558 were generated to explore their individual and/or collective role(s) in growth and survival. The mutants were assessed for growth and survival in vitro under normal and nutrient-deprived conditions and for virulence in the SCID mouse model. Although highly induced by carbon starvation, loss of Rv2557 and/or Rv2558 affected neither the long-term survival of M. tuberculosis under carbon-starved conditions in vitro, nor its virulence in SCID mice.
authors.affiliation: MRC/NHLS/WITS Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DST/NRF, School of Pathology of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. bhavna.gordhan@nhls.ac.za
authors.forename: Bhavna G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Gordhan
authors.forename: Debbie A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Bavesh D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Kana
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bancroft
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mizrahi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002244:Carbon / Q000172:deficiency*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D005838:Genotype; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014774:Virulence / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002244:Carbon