Role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ser/Thr kinase PknF: implications in glucose transport and cell division

Deol, Parampal ; Vohra, Reena ; Saini, Adesh Kumar ; Singh, Amit ; Chandra, Harish ; Chopra, Puneet ; Das, Taposh K. ; Tyagi, Anil K. ; Singh, Yogendra (2005) Role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ser/Thr kinase PknF: implications in glucose transport and cell division Journal of Bacteriology, 187 (10). pp. 3415-3420. ISSN 0021-9193

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Official URL: http://jb.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/187/10/3415

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JB.187.10.3415-3420.2005

Abstract

Protein kinases have a diverse array of functions in bacterial physiology, with a distinct role in the regulation of development, stress responses, and pathogenicity. pknF, one of the 11 kinases of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, encodes an autophosphorylating, transmembrane serine/threonine protein kinase, which is absent in the fast-growing, nonpathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis. Herein, we investigate the physiological role of PknF using an antisense strategy with M. tuberculosis and expressing PknF and its kinase mutant (K41M) in M. smegmatis. Expression of PknF in M. smegmatis led to reduction in the growth rate and shortening and swelling of cells with constrictions. Interestingly, an antisense strain of M. tuberculosis expressing a low level of PknF displayed fast growth and a deformed cell morphology compared to the wild-type strain. Electron microscopy showed that most of the cells of the antisense strain were of a smaller size with an aberrant septum. Furthermore, nutrient transport analysis of these strains was conducted using 3H-labeled and 14C-labeled substrates. A significant increase in the uptake of D-glucose but not of glycerol, leucine, or oleic acid was observed in the antisense strain compared to the wild-type strain. The results suggest that PknF plays a direct/indirect role in the regulation of glucose transport, cell growth, and septum formation in M. tuberculosis.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to American Society for Microbiology.
ID Code:57966
Deposited On:30 Aug 2011 10:19
Last Modified:21 Jul 2012 14:51

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