Bacteria - Mycobacteria

7 important questions on Bacteria - Mycobacteria

Mycobacteria species can roughly be divided into three groups, what are these groups?

1. Mycobacterium leprae and M. Lepromatosis
2. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex
3. Nontuberculous mycobacteria

What is characteristic for mycobacteria?

  • Complex cell wall
  • Acid fast (resistant to low pH)
  • Slow growing
  • Mostly intracellular

What does the cell wall of mycobacteria looks like?

From inside to outside:
- cell membrane
- lipoproteins
- peptidoglycan layer (cell wall)
- arabinogalactan layer
- mycolic acids
- on top some glycolipids

Lipoarabinomannan is also present throughout the whole layer (from cell membrane to glycolipids)
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Why are mycobacteria so difficult to eradicate (why are they successful)?

  • Long window period
  • dormancy
  • intracellular
  • resilient cell wall
  • zoonotic and environmental reservoirs
  • slow growing

Drug resistance strains of Tb and leprosy are emerging, due to:

- Long treatment (long time to infect others)
- Low treatment adherence
- Latent infections
- Bacteria actively limit antibiotic exposure

General information cell wall mycobacteria

- 30-40% of total weight
- protects bacteria from external influences, such as acidity and oxidative stress
- modulates PRR recognition by shielding or exposing PAMPs
- Lipomannan facilitates phagocytosis by host cell

Life cycle mycobacteria

Mycobacteria are taken up by lung macrophages.
Mycobacteria are in phagosomes and survive acidic pH (cell wall)
Escape phagosome with help of ESX system
Mycobacteria are in cytosol, where a lot of nutrients are present
Change metabolism of host cell to produce lipid droplets
Macrophage dies at a sudden point

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