Open AccessUp‐regulation of narX , encoding a putative ‘fused nitrate reductase’ in anaerobic dormant Mycobacterium bovis BCG
Author(s) -
Hutter Bernd,
Dick Thomas
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb13760.x
Subject(s) - mycobacterium bovis , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , dormancy , bacilli , anaerobic exercise , mycobacterium tuberculosis , gene , mycobacterium , nitrate reductase , bacillus (shape) , bacteria , genetics , tuberculosis , enzyme , botany , biochemistry , physiology , medicine , germination , pathology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis and its closely related but non‐pathogenic relative M. bovis Bacille Calmette‐Guèrin (BCG) have the capability to adapt to anaerobiosis by shifting down from aerobic growth to a state of non‐replicating persistence or dormancy. Here, we report the results of a comparative Northern analysis of 23 genes identified in the tubercle bacillus genome project that might play a role in the energy metabolism under anaerobic conditions. The expression of a majority of the genes was found to be down‐regulated in the dormant BCG culture. However, the mRNA level for narX , a putative ‘fused nitrate reductase’ not found in other bacteria, was strongly up‐regulated in anaerobic dormant bacilli. narX is the first transcriptionally induced gene in anaerobic dormant mycobacteria and might be a useful marker for monitoring the dormancy response in infected animals.