Branching morphology in non-tuberculous mycobacteria Mycobacterium senegalense and Mycobacterium malmoense

• Understanding mycobacterial growth cycle has been a challenging topic ever since the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) as the causal agent of Tuberculosis.  Diverse metabolic pathways, changes in cell shape and/or size under various growth and environmental conditions, dormancy and virulence are some of the major factors that have made mycobacterial studies complex and challenging. Over the years, many mycobacterial species classified as Non-Tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) have been isolated from humans, animals and identified as pathogens. In this study, we have observed and described the cell morphology of two NTMs that showed branching/filamentous growth. Mycobacterium senegalense (Msen), causative agent of bovine farcy showed extensive branching with spore-like phase grey and phase bright (PGB) structures similar to the ones observed in a slow-growing NTM Mycobacterium malmoense (Mmal), known to cause TB-like lung infections in humans. Global transcriptome analyses of various genes is suggestive of pathways and regulations that may be responsible for the pleiomorphsim in general and specifically for branching in Msen and Mmal. One such gene that was analysed was the wag31, which has been shown to localise preferably at branch points. 

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Cell- och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Cell and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

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