title: Long-chain multiple methyl-branched fatty acid-containing lipids of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: biosynthesis, transport, regulation and biological activities.
abstract: The cell envelope of pathogenic mycobacteria is highly distinctive in that it contains a number of lipids esterified with structurally related long-chain multi-methyl-branched fatty acids. These lipids have long been thought to play important roles in the cell envelope structure as well as in the pathogenicity of the tubercle bacillus. This review summarizes what is known about the biosynthesis of long-chain multiple methyl-branched fatty acid-containing lipids in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and describes the most recent findings about their regulation, transport across the different layers of the cell envelope and their biological functions.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Génétique Mycobactérienne, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France. mjackson@pasteur.fr
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stadthagen
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gicquel
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000378:metabolism; D014199:Trehalose / Q000378:metabolism; D014774:Virulence
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D006017:Glycolipids; D008055:Lipids; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids; C008901:phthiocerol dimycocerosate; D048630:Polyketide Synthases; D014199:Trehalose