In vitro and in vivo characterization of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutant deficient in glycosyltransferase Rv1500.

In Mycobacterium marinum, the homologue of Rv1500 of M. tuberculosis encodes a glycosyltransferase. Initially, it was suggested that this gene is involved in the synthesis of phosphatidylinositol mannosides (PIMs), generating Ac(2)PIM(7) from Ac(2)PIM(5).

A promoter mutation causes differential nitrate reductase activity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis.

The recent publication of the genome sequence of Mycobacterium bovis showed >99.95% identity to M. tuberculosis.

Polymorphic nucleotide within the promoter of nitrate reductase (NarGHJI) is specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis rapidly reduces nitrate, leading to the accumulation of nitrite. This characteristic served for the past 40 years to differentiate M. tuberculosis from other members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), such as Mycobacterium bovis (non-BCG [referred to here as simply "M.

Rapid-cycle PCR and fluorimetry for detection of mycobacteria.

In this study we used LightCycler PCR amplification and product detection by fluorescence resonance energy transfer probes to identify mycobacteria and differentiate between Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, Mycobacterium avium, and other nontuberculous mycobacteria. Targeting the 16S rRNA gene, three different probes specific for mycobacteria, M. tuberculosis complex, and M.

Dependence of Mycobacterium bovis BCG on anaerobic nitrate reductase for persistence is tissue specific.

Mycobacterium bovis BCG, the only presently available vaccine against tuberculosis, was obtained from virulent M. bovis after serial passages in vitro. The vaccine strain retained at least some of its original virulence, as it persists in immune-competent hosts and occasionally may cause fatal disease in immune-deficient hosts.