Mycobacterium tuberculosis

From MicrobeWiki, the student-edited microbiology resource

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

Enter summaries of the most recent research here--at least three required

References

[Sample reference] Takai, K., Sugai, A., Itoh, T., and Horikoshi, K. "Palaeococcus ferrophilus gen. nov., sp. nov., a barophilic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney". International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology. 2000. Volume 50. p. 489-500.

Edited by student of Rachel Larsen and Kit Pogliano