Open AccessCloning and characterization of the aroA gene from Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Author(s) -
Thomas R. Garbe,
C. A. Jones,
Ian G. Charles,
Gordon Dougan,
Douglas B. Young
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.652
H-Index - 246
eISSN - 1067-8832
pISSN - 0021-9193
DOI - 10.1128/jb.172.12.6774-6782.1990
Subject(s) - aroa , biology , mycobacterium tuberculosis , complementation , gene , mutant , virology , escherichia coli , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , tuberculosis , enterobacteriaceae , medicine , pathology
The aroA gene from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been cloned by complementation of an aroA mutant of Escherichia coli after lysogenization with a recombinant DNA library in the lambda gt11 vector. Detailed characterization of the M. tuberculosis aroA gene by nucleotide sequencing and by immunochemical analysis of the expressed product indicates that it encodes a 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase that is structurally related to analogous enzymes from other bacterial, fungal, and plant sources. The potential use of the cloned gene in construction of genetically defined mutant strains of M. tuberculosis by gene replacement is proposed as a novel approach to the rational attenuation of mycobacterial pathogens and the possible development of new antimycobacterial vaccines.