Clinically Relevant Mutations of Mycobacterial GatCAB Inform Regulation of Translational Fidelity.

Most bacteria employ a two-step indirect tRNA aminoacylation pathway for the synthesis of aminoacylated tRNA and tRNA. The heterotrimeric enzyme GatCAB performs a critical amidotransferase reaction in the second step of this pathway. We have previously demonstrated in mycobacteria that this two-step pathway is error prone and translational errors contribute to adaptive phenotypes such as antibiotic tolerance.