The thick waxy coat of mycobacteria, a protective layer against antibiotics and the host's immune system

Sarah M Batt; David E Minnikin; Gurdyal S Besra

doi:10.1042/BCJ20200194

The thick waxy coat of mycobacteria, a protective layer against antibiotics and the host's immune system

Sarah M Batt, David E Minnikin, Gurdyal S Besra

Biosciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

210 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Tuberculosis, caused by the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease, with a mortality rate of over a million people per year. This pathogen's remarkable resilience and infectivity is largely due to its unique waxy cell envelope, 40% of which comprises complex lipids. Therefore, an understanding of the structure and function of the cell wall lipids is of huge indirect clinical significance. This review provides a synopsis of the cell envelope and the major lipids contained within, including structure, biosynthesis and roles in pathogenesis.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1983-2006
Number of pages	24
Journal	The Biochemical journal
Volume	477
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20200194
Publication status	Published - 29 May 2020

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Cell Membranes
Excitation & Transport
Glycobiology
Microbiology
Molecular Interactions

UN SDGs

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

Access to Document

10.1042/BCJ20200194Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

Batt_et_al_The_thick_waxy_coat_of_mycobacteria,_a_protective_layer_against_antibiotics_and_the_host's_immune_system_The_Biochemical_journal_2020Final published version, 5.25 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20200194Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

1 Finished
1 Active

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Cell Envelope: unravelling complex cell wall assembly, degradation and re-cycling pathways
Besra, D., Bhatt, A., Futterer, K., Alderwick, L. & Zhang, J.
Medical Research Council
1/03/19 → 28/02/25
Project: Research Councils
An integrated multi-disciplinary approach to unravel complex and essential cell wall biosynthetic pathways
Besra, D. & Futterer, K.
THE WELLCOME TRUST
1/01/08 → 30/06/13
Project: Research

Cite this

@article{82850cf607554990a441faa8b642048d,

title = "The thick waxy coat of mycobacteria, a protective layer against antibiotics and the host's immune system",

abstract = "Tuberculosis, caused by the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease, with a mortality rate of over a million people per year. This pathogen's remarkable resilience and infectivity is largely due to its unique waxy cell envelope, 40% of which comprises complex lipids. Therefore, an understanding of the structure and function of the cell wall lipids is of huge indirect clinical significance. This review provides a synopsis of the cell envelope and the major lipids contained within, including structure, biosynthesis and roles in pathogenesis.",

keywords = "Cell Membranes, Excitation & Transport, Glycobiology, Microbiology, Molecular Interactions",

author = "Batt, {Sarah M} and Minnikin, {David E} and Besra, {Gurdyal S}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2020 The Author(s)",

year = "2020",

month = may,

day = "29",

doi = "10.1042/BCJ20200194",

language = "English",

volume = "477",

pages = "1983--2006",

journal = "The Biochemical journal",

issn = "0264-6021",

publisher = "Portland Press",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The thick waxy coat of mycobacteria, a protective layer against antibiotics and the host's immune system

AU - Batt, Sarah M

AU - Minnikin, David E

AU - Besra, Gurdyal S

PY - 2020/5/29

Y1 - 2020/5/29

N2 - Tuberculosis, caused by the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease, with a mortality rate of over a million people per year. This pathogen's remarkable resilience and infectivity is largely due to its unique waxy cell envelope, 40% of which comprises complex lipids. Therefore, an understanding of the structure and function of the cell wall lipids is of huge indirect clinical significance. This review provides a synopsis of the cell envelope and the major lipids contained within, including structure, biosynthesis and roles in pathogenesis.

AB - Tuberculosis, caused by the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease, with a mortality rate of over a million people per year. This pathogen's remarkable resilience and infectivity is largely due to its unique waxy cell envelope, 40% of which comprises complex lipids. Therefore, an understanding of the structure and function of the cell wall lipids is of huge indirect clinical significance. This review provides a synopsis of the cell envelope and the major lipids contained within, including structure, biosynthesis and roles in pathogenesis.

KW - Cell Membranes

KW - Excitation & Transport

KW - Glycobiology

KW - Microbiology

KW - Molecular Interactions

U2 - 10.1042/BCJ20200194

DO - 10.1042/BCJ20200194

M3 - Article

C2 - 32470138

SN - 0264-6021

VL - 477

SP - 1983

EP - 2006

JO - The Biochemical journal

JF - The Biochemical journal

IS - 10

ER -

The thick waxy coat of mycobacteria, a protective layer against antibiotics and the host's immune system

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis Cell Envelope: unravelling complex cell wall assembly, degradation and re-cycling pathways

An integrated multi-disciplinary approach to unravel complex and essential cell wall biosynthetic pathways

Cite this