Disruption of mptpB impairs the ability of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to survive in guinea pigs

• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2958.2003.03712.x
• Publication Date: 2003-10-20T16:57:38Z
• Authors: Ramandeep Singh; Vivek Rao; H. Shakila; Radhika Gupta; Aparna Khera; Neeraj Dhar; Amit Singh; Anil Koul; Yogendra Singh; M. Naseema; P. R. Narayanan; C. N. Paramasivan; V. D. Ramanathan; Anil K. Tyagi
• Keywords: Dephosphorylation; Strain (injury); Pathogenesis

Summary Protein tyrosine kinases and phosphatases from several bacterial pathogens have been shown to act as virulence factors by modulating the phosphorylation dephosphorylation of host proteins. The identification characterization two namely MptpA MptpB Mycobacterium tuberculosis has reported earlier. is secreted M. into extracellular mileu exhibits a pH optimum 5.6, similar lysosomal compartment cell. To determine role in pathogenesis , we constructed mptpB mutant strain homologous recombination compared ability parent survive intracellularly. We show that disruption gene impairs activated macrophages guinea pigs but not resting suggesting importance its host–pathogen interaction. Infection with resulted 70‐fold reduction bacillary load spleens infected animals parental strain. Upon reintroduction strain, complemented was able establish infection at rates comparable These observations demonstrate .