Project description:Some intracellular bacteria are known to cause long-term infections for periods of time that last decades without compromising the viability of the host. Although of critical importance, the changes that intracellular bacteria suffer during this long process of residence in a host cell environment remain obscure. Here, we report an experimental approach to study the adaptations of intracellular mycobacteria forced by a long-term intracellular lifestyle. Long-term infection of host macrophages with mycobacteria was maintained for a period of years. Mycobacteria in the long-term infected macrophages underwent an adaptation process leading to impaired phenolic glycolipids (PGL) synthesis, preference for glucose as a carbon source and neutral lipids accumulation. These changes correlated with increased survival of mycobacteria in macrophages and mice during re-infection and specific expression of stress- and survival-related genes. Our findings identify bacterial traits implicated in the establishment of long-term cellular infections and represent a tool for understanding the physiological states of bacteria living in fluctuating intracellular environments.
2014-12-31 | GSE49976 | GEO
Project description:Whole genome sequencing of previously uncharacterized nontuberculous mycobacteria
Project description:Purified NK cells were co-cultured with M. bovis BCG or M. tuberculosis H37Rv (1:1) in the presence of IL-2 (100U/ml) or IL-12 (10pg/ml) for 24h before trizol extraction. We used microarrays to detail the global gene expression underlying NK cell activation by mycobacteria. NK cell were isolated from the blood of 6 independent donors and activated with different mycobacteria and cytokines in order to study their transcriptional profiles according to mycobacterial virulence.
