Mycobacterium tuberculosis gene expression profiling within the context of protein networks

Microbes Infect. 2006 Mar;8(3):747-57. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2005.09.011. Epub 2006 Jan 18.

Abstract

As one of the world's most successful intracellular pathogens, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of human tuberculosis, is responsible for two to three million deaths annually. The pathogenicity of M. tuberculosis relies on its ability to survive and persist within host macrophage cells during infection. It is of central importance, therefore, to identify genes and pathways that are involved in the survival and persistence of M. tuberculosis within these cells. Utilizing genome-wide DNA arrays we have identified M. tuberculosis genes that are specifically induced during macrophage infection. To better understand the cellular context of these differentially expressed genes, we have also combined our array analyses with computational methods of protein network identification. Our combined approach reveals certain signatures of M. tuberculosis residing within macrophage cells, including the induction of genes involved in DNA damage repair, fatty acid degradation, iron metabolism, and cell wall metabolism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Biological Transport / genetics
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Cell Wall / metabolism
  • Cluster Analysis
  • DNA Repair / genetics
  • DNA Repair / physiology
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Iron / metabolism
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Iron