BMC Microbiology (May 2009)

Genetic determination of the effect of post-translational modification on the innate immune response to the 19 kDa lipoprotein of <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</it>

  • Herrmann Jean-Louis,
  • Sullivan Susan M,
  • Patel Janisha,
  • Martineau Adrian R,
  • Stewart Graham R,
  • Newton Sandra M,
  • Wilkinson Katalin A,
  • Neyrolles Olivier,
  • Young Douglas B,
  • Wilkinson Robert J

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-9-93
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
p. 93

Abstract

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Abstract Background The 19 kDa lipoprotein of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) is an important target of the innate immune response. To investigate the effect of post-translation modification of this protein on innate recognition in the context of the whole bacillus, we derived a recombinant M. tuberculosis H37Rv that lacked the 19 kDa gene (Δ19) and complemented this strain by reintroduction of the 19 kDa gene into the chromosome as a single copy to produce Δ19::19. We also reintroduced the 19 kDa gene in two modified forms that lacked motifs for acylation (Δ19::19NA) and O-glycosylation (Δ19::19NOG). Results Both acylation and O-glycosylation were necessary for the protein to remain within the cell. IL-1 Beta secretion from human monocytes was significantly reduced by deletion of the 19 kDa gene (p Conclusion These results confirm in the context of the whole bacillus an important role for post-translational modification of the 19 kDa on both the cellular location and immune response to this protein.