A point mutation in cycA partially contributes to the D-cycloserine resistance trait of Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine strains

PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e43467. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0043467. Epub 2012 Aug 17.

Abstract

In mycobacteria, CycA a D-serine, L- and D-alanine, and glycine transporter also functions in the uptake of D-cycloserine, an important second-line anti-tubercular drug. A single nucleotide polymorphism identified in the cycA gene of BCG was hypothesized to contribute to the increased resistance of Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) to D-cycloserine compared to wild-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis. Working along these lines, a merodiploid strain of BCG expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis CycA was generated and found to exhibit increased susceptibility to D-cycloserine albeit not to the same extent as wild-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis. In addition, recombinant Mycobacterium smegmatis strains expressing either Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium bovis CycA but not BCG CycA were rendered more susceptible to D-cycloserine. These findings support the notion that CycA-mediated uptake in BCG is impaired as a result of a single nucleotide polymorphism; however, the partial contribution of this impairment to D-cycloserine resistance suggests the involvement of additional genetic lesions in this phenotype.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / chemistry
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / genetics*
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral / metabolism
  • Antibiotics, Antitubercular / pharmacology
  • BCG Vaccine / immunology
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Cycloserine / chemistry
  • Cycloserine / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Gene Knock-In Techniques
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Microbial Viability / drug effects
  • Microbial Viability / genetics
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mycobacterium bovis / genetics*
  • Mycobacterium bovis / immunology
  • Mycobacterium bovis / metabolism
  • Mycobacterium smegmatis / genetics
  • Mycobacterium smegmatis / growth & development
  • Mycobacterium smegmatis / metabolism
  • Point Mutation*
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Symporters / chemistry
  • Symporters / genetics*
  • Symporters / metabolism

Substances

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral
  • Antibiotics, Antitubercular
  • BCG Vaccine
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Symporters
  • Cycloserine