Regulation of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE/PPE genes. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis encodes approximately 170 members of the unique mycobacterial PE and PPE gene families. Evidence suggests members of these families are surface-associated cell wall proteins that may provide a diverse antigenic profile and affect immunity. To determine if the expression patterns of PE/PPE genes are consistent with a role in antigenic variability, we analyzed microarray data from 132 experimental conditions for expression of PE/PPE genes. Whole genome expression patterns show that the PE/PPE genes are regulated in a variable and largely independent manner. Gene expression profiling of 15 unique conditions identified differential regulation of 128 of the 169 PE/PPE genes. Expression of the PE/PPE genes appears to be controlled by a variety of independent mechanisms. These data indicate that differential expression of the PE/PPE genes has the potential to provide a dynamic antigenic profile during the course of changing microenvironments within the host.

publication date

  • January 1, 2004

Research

keywords

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 3042800116

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.tube.2003.12.014

PubMed ID

  • 15207495

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 84

issue

  • 3-4