Mycobacterium tuberculosis
A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Classification
Higher order taxa
Domain: Bateria; Phylum: Actinobacteria; Class: Actinobacteria; Order: Actinomycetales; family: Mycobacteriaceae; Genus: Mycobacterium;
Species
The mycobacterium tuberculosis complex consists of Mycobacterium africanum, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium canettii, Mycobacterium microti, Mycobacterium pinnipedii, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Description and significance
Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a pathogen that is capable of surviving in various harsh conditions. It infects a third of the human population and causes at least two millioin deaths each year.It infects both human and non-human primates as well as other animals such as dogs, cats, pigs birds and wild animals.
Genome structure
Cell structure and metabolism
The M. tuberculosis cell wall contains three classes of mycolic acids: -, keto-, and methoxymycolates, where -Mycolates are the most abundant form in M. tuberculosis. The cell wall also contains lipid complexes include acyl glcolipids and other complext free lipids and sulfolipids. There are porins in the membrane to facilitate transport. Beneath the cell wall, there is a layer of arabinogalactan adna peptidoglycan that lie just above the plasma membrane.
The M. tuberculosis genomes encodes about 190 transcriptional regulators, including sigma factors. Several regulators have been found to respond to environmental distress, such as extreme cold or heat, iron starvation, and oxidative stress.
Ecology
Describe any interactions with other organisms (included eukaryotes), contributions to the environment, effect on environment, etc.
Pathology
How does this organism cause disease? Human, animal, plant hosts? Virulence factors, as well as patient symptoms.
Application to Biotechnology
Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?
Current Research
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References
Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano