Abstract

The dominant exported proteins and protective antigens of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are a triad of related gene products called the antigen 85 (Ag85) complex. Each has also been implicated in disease pathogenesis through its fibronectin-binding capacities. A carboxylesterase domain was found within the amino acid sequences of Ag85A, B, and C, and each protein acted as a mycolyltransferase involved in the final stages of mycobacterial cell wall assembly, as shown by direct enzyme assay and site-directed mutagenesis. Furthermore, the use of an antagonist (6-azido-6-deoxy-α,α′-trehalose) of this activity demonstrates that these proteins are essential and potential targets for new antimycobacterial drugs.

Keywords

Mycobacterium tuberculosisAntimycobacterialAntigenMutagenesisCarboxylesteraseBiologyBiogenesisBiochemistryEnzymeTuberculosisMutationGeneGeneticsMedicine

Affiliated Institutions

Related Publications

Publication Info

Year
1997
Type
article
Volume
276
Issue
5317
Pages
1420-1422
Citations
716
Access
Closed

External Links

View on DOI.org

Social Impact

Altmetric
PlumX Metrics

Social media, news, blog, policy document mentions

Citation Metrics

716
OpenAlex

Cite This

John T. Belisle, Varalakshmi Vissa, Todd R. Sievert et al. (1997). Role of the Major Antigen of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> in Cell Wall Biogenesis. Science , 276 (5317) , 1420-1422. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.276.5317.1420

Identifiers

DOI
10.1126/science.276.5317.1420