Deletion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis sigma factor E results in delayed time to death with bacterial persistence in the lungs of aerosol-infected mice

Infect Immun. 2003 Dec;71(12):7170-2. doi: 10.1128/IAI.71.12.7170-7172.2003.

Abstract

The stress-induced extracytoplasmic sigma factor E (SigE) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis shows increased expression after heat shock, sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment, and oxidative stress, as well as after phagocytosis in macrophages. We report that deletion of sigE results in delayed lethality in mice without a significant reduction of bacterial numbers in lungs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Aerosols
  • Animals
  • Colony Count, Microbial
  • Gene Deletion*
  • Heat-Shock Response
  • Humans
  • Lung / microbiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, SCID
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / pathogenicity*
  • Sigma Factor / genetics*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Time Factors
  • Transcription Factors / genetics*
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / mortality*

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Sigma Factor
  • Transcription Factors
  • sporulation-specific sigma factors