Aspartate aminotransferase Rv3722c governs aspartate-dependent nitrogen metabolism in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 32327655.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-020-15876-8 and PMC identifier 7181641.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Gene rv3722c of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is essential for in vitro growth, and encodes a putative pyridoxal phosphate-binding protein of unknown function. Here we use metabolomic, genetic and structural approaches to show that Rv3722c is the primary aspartate aminotransferase of M. tuberculosis, and mediates an essential but underrecognized role in metabolism: nitrogen distribution. Rv3722c deficiency leads to virulence attenuation in macrophages and mice. Our results identify aspartate biosynthesis and nitrogen distribution as potential species-selective drug targets in M. tuberculosis.
Medical subject headings
- Aspartate Aminotransferases
- Aspartic Acid
- Bacterial Proteins
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Nitrogen