Deciphering mycolic acid transport in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

结核病是一个全球性的健康问题，由于多重耐药性的增加而进一步加剧。结核分枝杆菌的致病菌有一层蜡质的保护性细胞壁，富含脂质。细胞壁的一个这样的“构建块”是一组被称为分枝菌酸的脂肪酸。虽然我们知道分枝菌酸是如何产生的，但对它们如何被运输到细胞外知之甚少。本研究的目的是通过使用一系列分子工具来识别负责分枝菌酸转运的基因，从而破译分枝菌酸转运过程。由于分枝菌酸对M.结核病，在这项研究中确定的基因有可能成为药物开发的目标。此外，由于分枝菌酸也是毒力所必需的，这些研究也将间接地对我们理解M。肺结核引起疾病。

Tuberculosis is a global health problem, further compounded due to the rise of multi-drug resistance. The causative bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a waxy, protective cell wall which is rich in lipids. One such 'building block' of the cell wall is a group of fatty acids termed mycolic acids. While we know how mycolic acids are made, not much is known about how they are transported to the outside of the cell. This study aims to decipher mycolic acid transport processes by using an array of molecular tools that will identify genes responsible for mycolic acid transport. As mycolic acids are essential for the survival of M. tuberculosis, genes identified in this study have potential to be targeted for drug development. Additionally, as mycolic acids are also required for virulence, these studies will, indirectly, also have implications for our understanding of how M. tuberculosis causes disease.