Project description:Transcriptional profile comparison among Beijing and non-Beijing M. tuberculosis isolates. Three M. tuberculosis strains were compared. The laboratory reference strain, H37Rv, belongs to the Euro-American or lineage 4. Two clinical isolates of the East-Asian or lineage 2: 98_1663 is a pre-Beijing or Group 1 isolate, and HN878 is a Beijing or Group 5 isolate. Three replicates were performed for each comparison using two different biological samples.
Project description:Bacterial persister cells are phenotypic variants of regular cells that are tolerant to antibiotics. Analysis of clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis showed that strains vary substantially in their tolerance to antibiotics. The level of persisters was very high is some isolates, suggesting that these are hip mutants. We investigated gene expression differences in eight clinical isolates, four of which we characterized as high-persister strains and four as low-persister, or regular, strains. Comparison of gene expression patterns may provide clues as to the genetic mechanisms underlying persister formation.
Project description:Mycobacterium ulcerans is the causal agent of Buruli ulcer, a chronic infectious disease and the third most common mycobacterial disease worldwide. Without early treatment, M. ulcerans provokes massive skin ulcers, caused by the mycolactone toxin, its main virulence factor. However, spontaneous healing may occur in Buruli ulcer patients several months or years after the disease onset. We have shown, in an original mouse model, that bacterial load remains high and viable in spontaneously healed tissues, suggesting that M. ulcerans switches to low levels of mycolactone production, adapting its strategy to survive in such a hostile environment. We investigated the regulation of mycolactone production, by using an RNA-seq strategy to study bacterial adaptation within our original mouse model of spontaneous healing. Pathway analysis and characterization of the tissue environment showed that the bacillus adapted to its new environment by modifying its metabolic activity and switching nutrient sources. Thus, M. ulcerans ensures its survival in healing tissues by reducing its secondary metabolism, leading to an inhibition of mycolactone synthesis and changes in cell wall composition. These findings shed new light on mycolactone regulation and pave the way for new therapeutic strategies.
Project description:While several groups, including our own, have examined variability of M. tuberculosis at the DNA level, this is the first systematic survey of variability in mRNA expression among clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis. Genes whose expression varies among isolates when assayed under a single growth condition may make poor drug targets and vaccine antigens and may affect molecular diagnostics, so they can be used to narrow down lists of candidate molecules. Because the measurement of gene expression is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions, comparison of gene expression is labour intensive. In this study, we surveyed 12 strains. These strains are a subset of those for which we have already published genomic deletion information (Kato-Maeda et al., 2001). In order to ensure maximum reproducibility of the experiments and avoid complications caused by differences in growth conditions, we measured gene expression under well-controlled in vitro conditions. Our aims were to provide an overview of gene expression variability among clinical isolates under a single growth condition and to test whether gene functional classes are related to variability in expression. Set of arrays that are part of repeated experiments Keywords: Biological Replicate
Project description:While several groups, including our own, have examined variability of M. tuberculosis at the DNA level, this is the first systematic survey of variability in mRNA expression among clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis. Genes whose expression varies among isolates when assayed under a single growth condition may make poor drug targets and vaccine antigens and may affect molecular diagnostics, so they can be used to narrow down lists of candidate molecules. Because the measurement of gene expression is extremely sensitive to environmental conditions, comparison of gene expression is labour intensive. In this study, we surveyed 12 strains. These strains are a subset of those for which we have already published genomic deletion information (Kato-Maeda et al., 2001). In order to ensure maximum reproducibility of the experiments and avoid complications caused by differences in growth conditions, we measured gene expression under well-controlled in vitro conditions. Our aims were to provide an overview of gene expression variability among clinical isolates under a single growth condition and to test whether gene functional classes are related to variability in expression. Set of arrays that are part of repeated experiments Keywords: Biological Replicate Biological Replicate Computed
Project description:<p>This project aims at characterizing the human host susceptibility to pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial (PNTM) infections. PNTM infections occur in patients with chronic lung disease, but also in a distinct group of elderly women without lung defects but who share a common body morphology: tall and lean with scoliosis, pectus excavatum, and mitral valve prolapse. We performed whole exome and genome sequencing in extended families of patients with active PNTM. This unique collection of familial cohorts in PNTM represents an important opportunity for a high yield search for genes that regulate mucosal immunity. We also sequenced the genome of mycobacterial isolates from PNTM patients to integrate host PNTM susceptibility with mycobacterial genotypes and gain insights into the key factors involved in this devastating disease.</p>
Project description:The opportunistic pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans, which is responsible for Buruli ulcer, synthesizes a series of plasmid-encoded macrolide exotoxins termed mycolactones. These toxins destabilize cell membranes and induce apoptosis-associated pleiotropic effects including tissue destruction, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Despite its medical interest, M. ulcerans is primarily an environmental mycobacterium and the primary functions of mycolactones in the natural ecosystems are unknown. High throughput biochemical profiling findings suggested that M. ulcerans may interact with fungi. Here, we report that semi-purified and purified mycolactones significantly enhance spore germination of Scedosporium apiospermum, Fusarium equiseti and Mucor circinelloides; and that M. ulcerans mycolactones significantly attract colonies of M. circinelloides whereas no significant effect was observed on S. apiospermum and F. equiseti. These experimental results suggest that mycolactones exhibit a chemoattractant activity independent of their cytotoxicity. In natural ecosystems, M. ulcerans mycolactones may act as spore germination inducers and chemoattractants for some fungi, suggesting a novel role for this unique class of mycobacterial toxins in natural ecosystems.