Ancient mycobacterial lipids: key reference biomarkers in charting the evolution of tuberculosis

David E. Minnikin; Oona Y.-c. Lee; Houdini H.t. Wu; Gurdyal S. Besra; Apoorva Bhatt; Vijaya-Shankar Nataraj; Bruce M. Rothschild; Mark Spigelman; Helen D. Donoghue

doi:10.1016/j.tube.2015.02.009

Ancient mycobacterial lipids: key reference biomarkers in charting the evolution of tuberculosis

David E. Minnikin, Oona Y.-c. Lee, Houdini H.t. Wu, Gurdyal S. Besra, Apoorva Bhatt, Vijaya-Shankar Nataraj, Bruce M. Rothschild, Mark Spigelman, Helen D. Donoghue

Biosciences

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Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a cell envelope incorporating a peptidoglycan-linked arabinogalactan esterified by long-chain mycolic acids. A range of “free” lipids are associated with the “bound” mycolic acids, producing an effective envelope outer membrane. The distribution of these lipids is discontinuous among mycobacteria and such lipids have proven potential for biomarker use in tracing the evolution of tuberculosis. A plausible evolutionary scenario involves progression from an environmental organism, such as Mycobacterium kansasii, through intermediate “smooth” tubercle bacilli, labelled “Mycobacterium canettii”; cell envelope lipid composition possibly correlates with such a progression. M. kansasii and “M. canettii” have characteristic lipooligosaccharides, associated with motility and biofilms, and glycosyl phenolphthiocerol dimycocerosates (“phenolic glycolipids”). Both these lipid classes are absent in modern M. tuberculosis sensu stricto, though simplified phenolic glycolipids remain in certain current biotypes. Dimycocerosates of the phthiocerol family are restricted to smaller phthiodiolone diesters in M. kansasii. Diacyl and pentaacyl trehaloses are present in “M. canettii” and M. tuberculosis, accompanied in the latter by related sulfated acyl trehaloses. In comparison with environmental mycobacteria, subtle modifications in mycolic acid structures in “M. canettii” and M. tuberculosis are notable. The probability of essential tuberculosis evolution taking place in Pleistocene megafauna, rather than Homo sapiens, is reemphasised.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	S133–S139
Journal	Tuberculosis
Early online date	12 Feb 2015
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tube.2015.02.009
Publication status	Published - 12 Feb 2015

Keywords

Tuberculosis
Evolution
Lipids
Biomarkers
Zoonosis

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.tube.2015.02.009

Minnikin_at_al_Ancient_mycobacterial_lipids_Tuberculosis_2015
NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published as Minnikin DE, Lee OY-C, Wu HHT, Besra GS, Bhatt A, Nataraj V, Rothschild BM, Spigelman M, Donoghue HD, Ancient mycobacterial lipids: key reference biomarkers in charting the evolution of tuberculosis, Tuberculosis (2015), doi: 10.1016/j.tube.2015.02.009.
Accepted author manuscript, 1.1 MBLicence: Other (please specify with Rights Statement)

http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1472979215000104

Deciphering mycolic acid transport in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Bhatt, A.
Medical Research Council
30/09/13 → 29/09/16
Project: Research Councils

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title = "Ancient mycobacterial lipids: key reference biomarkers in charting the evolution of tuberculosis",

abstract = "Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a cell envelope incorporating a peptidoglycan-linked arabinogalactan esterified by long-chain mycolic acids. A range of “free” lipids are associated with the “bound” mycolic acids, producing an effective envelope outer membrane. The distribution of these lipids is discontinuous among mycobacteria and such lipids have proven potential for biomarker use in tracing the evolution of tuberculosis. A plausible evolutionary scenario involves progression from an environmental organism, such as Mycobacterium kansasii, through intermediate “smooth” tubercle bacilli, labelled “Mycobacterium canettii”; cell envelope lipid composition possibly correlates with such a progression. M. kansasii and “M. canettii” have characteristic lipooligosaccharides, associated with motility and biofilms, and glycosyl phenolphthiocerol dimycocerosates (“phenolic glycolipids”). Both these lipid classes are absent in modern M. tuberculosis sensu stricto, though simplified phenolic glycolipids remain in certain current biotypes. Dimycocerosates of the phthiocerol family are restricted to smaller phthiodiolone diesters in M. kansasii. Diacyl and pentaacyl trehaloses are present in “M. canettii” and M. tuberculosis, accompanied in the latter by related sulfated acyl trehaloses. In comparison with environmental mycobacteria, subtle modifications in mycolic acid structures in “M. canettii” and M. tuberculosis are notable. The probability of essential tuberculosis evolution taking place in Pleistocene megafauna, rather than Homo sapiens, is reemphasised.",

keywords = "Tuberculosis, Evolution, Lipids, Biomarkers, Zoonosis",

author = "Minnikin, {David E.} and Lee, {Oona Y.-c.} and Wu, {Houdini H.t.} and Besra, {Gurdyal S.} and Apoorva Bhatt and Vijaya-Shankar Nataraj and Rothschild, {Bruce M.} and Mark Spigelman and Donoghue, {Helen D.}",

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AU - Minnikin, David E.

AU - Lee, Oona Y.-c.

AU - Wu, Houdini H.t.

AU - Besra, Gurdyal S.

AU - Bhatt, Apoorva

AU - Nataraj, Vijaya-Shankar

AU - Rothschild, Bruce M.

AU - Spigelman, Mark

AU - Donoghue, Helen D.

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AB - Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a cell envelope incorporating a peptidoglycan-linked arabinogalactan esterified by long-chain mycolic acids. A range of “free” lipids are associated with the “bound” mycolic acids, producing an effective envelope outer membrane. The distribution of these lipids is discontinuous among mycobacteria and such lipids have proven potential for biomarker use in tracing the evolution of tuberculosis. A plausible evolutionary scenario involves progression from an environmental organism, such as Mycobacterium kansasii, through intermediate “smooth” tubercle bacilli, labelled “Mycobacterium canettii”; cell envelope lipid composition possibly correlates with such a progression. M. kansasii and “M. canettii” have characteristic lipooligosaccharides, associated with motility and biofilms, and glycosyl phenolphthiocerol dimycocerosates (“phenolic glycolipids”). Both these lipid classes are absent in modern M. tuberculosis sensu stricto, though simplified phenolic glycolipids remain in certain current biotypes. Dimycocerosates of the phthiocerol family are restricted to smaller phthiodiolone diesters in M. kansasii. Diacyl and pentaacyl trehaloses are present in “M. canettii” and M. tuberculosis, accompanied in the latter by related sulfated acyl trehaloses. In comparison with environmental mycobacteria, subtle modifications in mycolic acid structures in “M. canettii” and M. tuberculosis are notable. The probability of essential tuberculosis evolution taking place in Pleistocene megafauna, rather than Homo sapiens, is reemphasised.

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KW - Evolution

KW - Lipids

KW - Biomarkers

KW - Zoonosis

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JO - Tuberculosis

JF - Tuberculosis

ER -

Ancient mycobacterial lipids: key reference biomarkers in charting the evolution of tuberculosis

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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Projects

Deciphering mycolic acid transport in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

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