Ym. Hu et Arm. Coates, Increased levels of sigJ mRNA in late stationary phase cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis detected by DNA array hybridisation, FEMS MICROB, 202(1), 2001, pp. 59-65
In order to determine which genes are involved in maintaining viability of
100-day stationary-phase bacteria and persistent bacteria after antibiotic
treatment, we used a mini-DNA array to examine the transcription of 82 gene
s of M. tuberculosis in the 100-day stationary-phase cultures before and af
ter rifampicin treatment. We found that the mRNA level of a sigma factor ge
ne, sigJ, was strongly up-regulated in the late stationary-phase cultures.
Other genes were also up-regulated, although to a lesser extent than sigJ.
Surprisingly, after rifampicin treatment there was no significant change in
sigJ expression, and most of the other 82 genes in the mini-DNA array also
maintained expression, some at relatively high levels. These results sugge
st that SigJ may control gene expression in the quiescent state and may be
an important component in the mechanisms by which M. tuberculosis survives
prolonged stationary phase even in the presence of sterilising antibiotics.
(C) 2001 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by El
sevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.