Mycobacterium sulfur metabolism and implications for novel drug targets.
New antibiotic targets are urgently needed to tackle the multidrug resistant and latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of the most formidable infectious disease tuberculosis. Sulfur metabolism is essential for the survival and virulence of many pathogens including M. tuberculosis. The absence of most genes involved in microbial sulfur metabolism in human beings suggests abundant novel potential antibiotic targets in pathogen sulfur metabolism. In this article, a comparative genomic landscape of Mycobacterium sulfur metabolism, such as the uptake, activation, and reduction of sulfate and allied enzymes, the biosynthesis pathway of some sulfated metabolites, and the enzymes involved in these pathways were presented. Novel clues for antibiotic targets are put forward.
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, China.
Lirong
L
Zeng
Tingyu
T
Shi
Quanju
Q
Zhao
Jianping
J
Xie
D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053898:Biosynthetic Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015238:Sulfotransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013455:Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D013455:Sulfur; D015238:Sulfotransferases