Genes and regulatory networks involved in persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
The causative agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is one of the most successful of human pathogens. It can evade the host immune response and establish a persistent infection or enter a dormant state within the host which can be reactivated if the host becomes immuno-compromised. Both of these features are major obstacles to tuberculosis eradication. Dormancy and reactivation of M. tuberculosis are tightly coordinated dynamic processes involving numerous genes and their products. Molecular mechanisms underlying M. tuberculosis persistence may provide an opportunity for the discovery of effective drug targets for tuberculosis control. Here, we review the genes required for M. tuberculosis persistence and propose a regulatory network for the action of these genes using text mining. This should provide fresh insights into the persistence mechanisms of M. tuberculosis and suggest candidates for new drug targets and immune intervention.
Institute of Modern Biopharmaceuticals, State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Eco-Environment and Bio-Resource of the Three Gorges Area, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
Xiaozhen
X
Wang
Honghai
H
Wang
Jianping
J
Xie
D000818:Animals; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents