PhoP, a key player in Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoPR two-component system is essential for virulence in animal models of tuberculosis. Recent articles have shown that among the reasons for the attenuation of the M. tuberculosis H37Ra strain is a mutation in the phoP gene that prevents the secretion of proteins that are important for virulence. There is a need for new anti-tubercular therapies because of the emergence of multi-drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains and also the variable efficacy of the currently used bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine. Because of its major role in M. tuberculosis pathogenicity, PhoP is a potential target candidate. This review summarizes our understanding of PhoPR's role in virulence and discusses areas in which our knowledge is limited.
Ryndak
Michelle
M
Public Health Research Institute Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, 225 Warren Street Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
Wang
Shuishu
S
Smith
Issar
I
D000818:Animals; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D014774:Virulence
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C061279:PhoR protein, Bacteria; C061064:PhoP protein, Bacteria