Variable expression patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE_PGRS genes: Evidence that PE_PGRS16 and PE_PGRS26 are inversely regulated in vivo

Abstract

Evaluation of expression of 16 PE_PGRS genes present in Mycobacterium tuberculosis under various growth conditions demonstrated constitutive expression of 7 genes, variable expression of 7 genes, and no expression of 2 genes. An inverse expression profile for genes PE_PGRS16 and PE_PGRS26 was observed to occur in macrophages and in mice infected with M. tuberculosis. Variable expression of PE_PGRS proteins could have implications for their role in the immunopathogenesis of tuberculosis. Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.