title: Structure, function and biosynthesis of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell wall: arabinogalactan and lipoarabinomannan assembly with a view to discovering new drug targets.
abstract: In spite of effective antibiotics to treat TB (tuberculosis) since the early 1960s, we enter the new millennium with TB, currently the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, killing more than three million people worldwide each year. Thus an understanding of drug-resistance mechanisms, the immunobiology of cell wall components to elucidate host-pathogen interactions and the discovery of new drug targets are now required for the treatment of TB. Above the plasma membrane is a classical chemotype IV PG (peptidoglycan) to which is attached the macromolecular structure, mycolyl-arabinogalactan, via a unique diglycosylphosphoryl bridge. This review will discuss the assembly of the mAGP (mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan), its associated glycolipids and the site of action of EMB (ethambutol), bringing forward a new era in TB research and focus on new drugs to combat multidrug resistant TB.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Alderwick
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Birch
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eggeling
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Besra
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism*; D005685:Galactans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D005685:Galactans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C050016:lipoarabinomannan; C005653:arabinogalactan