title: Mycobacteriophages: an important tool for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (review).
abstract: The prevention and control of tuberculosis (TB) on a global scale has become increasingly important with the emergence of multidrug‑resistant TB. Mycobacterium tuberculosis phages have been identified as an important investigative tool. Phage genomes exhibit a significant level of diversity and mosaic genome architecture, however, they are simple structures, which are amenable to genetic manipulation. Based on these characteristics, the phages may be used to construct a shuttle plasmid, which is an indispensable tool in the investigation of TB. Furthermore, they may be used for rapid diagnosis and assessing drug susceptibility of TB, including phage amplified assessment and reporter phage technology. With an improved understanding of mycobacteriophages, further clarification of the pathogenesis of TB, and of the implications for its diagnosis and therapy, may be elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Jinhua College of Profession and Technology, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Jinhua College of Profession and Technology, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Mingxing
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Jinhua College of Profession and Technology, Jinhua, Zhejiang 321007, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jicheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009160:Mycobacteriophages / Q000235:genetics*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000821:virology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000235:genetics