A Nonribosomal Peptide Synthase Gene Driving Virulence in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Over 10 million people developed tuberculosis (TB) in 2016, and over 1.8 million individuals succumbed to the disease. These numbers make TB the ninth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause from a single infectious agent. Therefore, finding novel therapeutic targets in Mycobacterium tuberculosis , the pathogen that causes most cases of human TB, is critical. In this study, we reveal a novel virulence factor in M. tuberculosis , the nrp gene. The lack of nrp highly attenuates the course of M. tuberculosis infection in the mouse model, which is particularly relevant in immune-deficient hosts. This is very relevant as TB is particularly incident in immune-suppressed individuals, such as HIV patients.