Involvement of Serine Threonine protein kinase, PknL, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H 37 Rv in starvation response of mycobacteria.

Harini, L.; Rajaram, A.; Narayanan, S.

Journal of Microbial & Biochemical Technology; 2009; 1; 30-36.

Abstract: The adaptation to nutrient depletion in bacteria involves a highly organized series of intracellular events that enable them to adapt to starvation conditions. The regulatory effect of serine threonine protein kinase, PknL, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H ₃₇Rv was investigated under nutrient deprived conditions that simulate circumstances leading to latency. Recombinant PknL was expressed in Mycobacterium smegmatis strain mc² 155 in its wild type and mutant forms. In vitro growth kinetics experiments revealed that clone expressing active PknL had a significant growth advantage under nutrient limiting conditions. Experiments were conducted to ascertain the in silico predictions of the involvement of PknL in regulating glutamine metabolism in mycobacteria. Furthermore, a role for PknL in cell wall biogenesis/cell division was shown by scanning electron microscopy.

Keywords: Serine threonine protein kinase (STPK); PknL; Starvation response; Glutamine metabolism; Nutrient uptake; HPLC; Scanning electron microscopic studies

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