title: Targeting drug tolerance in mycobacteria: a perspective from mycobacterial biofilms.
abstract: Multidrug chemotherapy for 6-9-months is one of the primary treatments in effective control of tuberculosis, although the mechanisms underlying the persistence of its etiological agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, against antibiotics remain unclear. Ever-mounting evidence indicates that the survival of many environmental and pathogenic microbial species against antibiotics is influenced by their ability to grow as surface-associated multicellular communities called biofilms. In recent years, several mycobacterial species, including M. tuberculosis, have been found to form drug-tolerant biofilms in vitro through genetically controlled mechanisms. In this review, the authors discuss the relevance of the in vitro mycobacterial biofilms in understanding the antibiotic recalcitrance of tuberculosis infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
authors.forename: Mohammad S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Jacob P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: Anil K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ojha
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008954:Models, Biological; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents