Modification of host immunity by mycobacteria : role of cell wall glycolipids

分枝杆菌细胞壁糖脂已被认为是重要的宿主免疫调节。在这项研究中，我们首先阐明了控制参与这些糖脂生物合成的两种糖基转移酶表达水平的重要性。然后，我们发现这些糖脂的结构改变使耻垢分枝杆菌和结核分枝杆菌在细胞壁通透性方面都很脆弱。此外，我们首次证实在耻垢分枝杆菌中存在3-磷酸磷脂酰肌醇。

Cell wall glycolipids of mycobacteria have been suggested to be important for host immune modulation. In this study, we first clarified the importance of controlling the expression levels of two glycosyltransferases involved in the biosynthesis of these glycolipids. We then revealed that the structural alterations of these glycolipids make both Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium tuberculosis vulnerable in terms of cell wall permeability. In addition, we demonstrated the presence of phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate in Mycobacterium smegmatis for the first time.