Sequencing of the pncA gene in members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex has important diagnostic applications: Identification of a species-specific pncA mutation in "Mycobacterium canettii" and the reliable and rapid predictor of pyrazinamide resistance.
Testing for susceptibility to pyrazinamide (PZA) and analysis of the pncA gene sequences of 423 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates have revealed a unique silent nucleotide substitution that enables the rapid identification of "M. canettii" (proposed name). Moreover, the lack of a defined mutation within the pncA gene strongly suggests that an alternative mechanism is responsible for PZA resistance. Our results indicate that DNA sequencing of the pncA gene has the potential to shorten the turnaround time and increase the accuracy of PZA susceptibility testing of the M. tuberculosis complex.
Somoskovi
Akos
A
Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA.
Dormandy
Jillian
J
Parsons
Linda M
LM
Kaswa
Michel
M
Goh
Khye Seng
KS
Rastogi
Nalin
N
Salfinger
Max
M
D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000235:genetics*; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013045:Species Specificity
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D011718:Pyrazinamide; D000581:Amidohydrolases; C487496:PncA protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis