MRC/NHLS/WITS Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
Kana, B.D., MRC/NHLS/WITS Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa; Mizrahi, V., MRC/NHLS/WITS Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa; Gordhan, B.G., MRC/NHLS/WITS Molecular Mycobacteriology Research Unit, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
Objectives: Mycobacterium tuberculosis has five homologues of the muralytic resuscitation-promoting factor (Rpf), which are collectively dispensable for growth in vitro, but are required for resuscitation from a non-culturable state and for virulence in a mouse infection model. Our study was aimed at assessing the drug susceptibility of mutants lacking all five rpf genes. Methods: Drug susceptibility was determined in liquid medium using the broth microdilution method. Results: Strains of M. tuberculosis that lack all five rpf-like genes display a 4-8-fold increase in susceptibility to vancomycin and erythromycin, but show no significant difference in susceptibility to other antibiotics tested, including first- and second-line antitubercular agents. Conclusions: These results suggest that the possible alterations in the peptidoglycan structure and/or turnover caused by Rpf deficiency have a limited impact on the drug susceptibility of M. tuberculosis. © The Author 2010.
carbenicillin; cerulenin; chlorpromazine; erythromycin; peptidoglycan; rifampicin; vancomycin; bacterial protein; cytokine; erythromycin; resuscitation-promoting factor, bacteria; tuberculostatic agent; vancomycin; article; bacterial growth; bacterial strain; broth dilution; drug sensitivity; genotype; in vitro study; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; nonhuman; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction; deficiency; drug effects; genetics; human; microbial sensitivity test; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; procedures; Antitubercular Agents; Bacterial Proteins; Cytokines; Erythromycin; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Vancomycin; Antitubercular Agents; Bacterial Proteins; Cytokines; Erythromycin; Humans; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Vancomycin
