Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology

trans-Translation inhibitors that kill M. tuberculosis and pathogenic Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria have a dual mechanism of action

The paper identifies acylaminooxadiazole derivatives that kill mycobacteria by inhibiting trans-translation and disrupting iron homeostasis.

Granuloma Dual RNA-Seq Reveals Composite Transcriptional Programs Driven by Neutrophils and Necrosis within Tuberculous Granulomas

The paper uses dual RNA-seq in zebrafish to study transcriptional programs in tuberculous granulomas, finding neutrophils and necrosis drive bacterial survival and adaptation.

An activator of a two-component system controls cell separation and intrinsic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

This study identifies TapA as a regulator of cell separation and intrinsic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis by controlling the transition between division and pole growth.

NR4A1 limits CD8⁺ T Cell effector responses and protection in tuberculosis

NR4A1 suppresses CD8+ T cell infiltration and cytotoxicity in TB lesions, and its inhibition enhances host resistance to Mtb infection.

Epigenetic Crosstalk Between BCG-Infected Macrophages and Naive Monocytes Potentiates Antimycobacterial Activity

This study shows that BCG-infected macrophages release EVs that epigenetically reprogram naive monocytes, enhancing their antimycobacterial activity against Mtb.

Antibiotic lethality dictates mycobacterial infection outcomes

This study introduces ASCT to assess bacterial killing in real-time and links drug tolerance to clinical outcomes in mycobacterial infections.

Within-host evolution of drug tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

This study investigates how antibiotic tolerance evolves in Mycobacterium tuberculosis during treatment and finds no evidence that it contributes to delayed culture conversion.

Membrane microdomains are crucial for Mycobacterium marinum EsxA-dependent membrane damage, escape to the cytosol and infection

This study shows that host membrane microdomains are essential for Mycobacterium marinum to cause membrane damage, escape into the cytosol, and infect cells.

Using Imaris to rigorously track PET-defined sites of lung inflammation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis-exposed non-human primates

The paper introduces a method using Imaris to track PET-defined lung inflammation sites in Mtb-exposed NHPs, showing correlation with traditional methods and providing additional lesion features.

Same class, different activity: Delamanid and pretomanid have comparable bactericidal activity but pretomanid potently inhibits Mycobacterium tuberculosis ribosomal rRNA synthesis

This study compares delamanid and pretomanid, finding similar bactericidal activity but pretomanid more effectively inhibits M. tuberculosis ribosomal rRNA synthesis.

A Stochastic Simulation-Based Approach to Inform Relapsing Mouse Model (RMM) Study Design for Non-Clinical Assessment of Tuberculosis

This paper evaluates alternative study designs for relapsing mouse models of tuberculosis to reduce animal use while maintaining accuracy in estimating treatment efficacy.

Extensive endemic transmission of multidrug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Bhutan: A retrospective genomic-epidemiological study

This study uses genomic data to show that most multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Bhutan comes from local transmission, forming a large, recent endemic cluster.

High prevalence of Ethiopian and Indo-Oceanic Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages among pulmonary tuberculosis cases in East Gojjam, Northwest Ethiopia: insights from genomic characterization

The paper characterizes Mtb strains in Ethiopia using molecular typing, finding high prevalence of Ethiopian and Indo-Oceanic lineages and significant local transmission.

Transcript-Capture sequencing enriches mRNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from host samples

This paper introduces Transcript-Capture Seq to enrich bacterial mRNA from host samples, enabling analysis of the complete Mtb transcriptome in clinical samples and revealing gene expression patterns associated with in vivo bacterial activity.

The unique role of nucS-mediated non-canonical mismatch repair in Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance evolution

This study investigates the role of NucS-mediated non-canonical mismatch repair in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and finds it does not significantly affect resistance to key antibiotics.

Essential Role of MHC II in the Antitubercular Efficacy of Pyrazinamide

This study shows that MHC II and CD4 T cell help are essential for pyrazinamide's antitubercular efficacy, revealing a host-mediated mechanism for its in vivo activity.

Tre-DST: A new drug susceptibility test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis using solvatochromic trehalose probes

This paper introduces Tre-DST, a rapid phenotypic drug susceptibility test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis using solvatochromic trehalose probes, showing it can detect drug resistance effectively and quickly.

Mind the gap: Understanding discordance between culture- and a non-culture-based measure of bacterial burden in murine tuberculosis treatment models

This study evaluates the CFU-16S rRNA gap in tuberculosis treatment models, finding that the discrepancy is partially due to residual 16S rRNA from dead bacteria and potential transient viable but non-culturable populations.

Linking MSMEG_1353 to lipid metabolism and envelope integrity in Mycolicibacterium smegmatis

This study investigates MSMEG_1353's role in lipid metabolism and envelope integrity in M. smegmatis through CRISPRi knockdown, revealing its impact on cell morphology, biofilm formation, and antibiotic susceptibility.

Isolation of a nanobody specific to the PstS-1 protein and evaluation of its immunoreactivity with structural components of Mycobacterium tuberculosis granuloma

The paper isolates a nanobody specific to Mtb's PstS-1 protein and evaluates its immunoreactivity for potential molecular imaging of tuberculosis granulomas.

Activation of nuclear receptors correlates with tuberculosis severity and is a target for host directed therapy

The paper shows that nuclear receptor signaling correlates with tuberculosis severity and that LXR activation improves infection outcomes in mice.

Characterising the performance of an antibiotic resistance prediction tool, gnomonicus, using a diverse testset of 2,663 Mycobacterium tuberculosis samples

This paper evaluates the performance of the gnomonicus tool for predicting antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis using a diverse testset of 2,663 samples and compares it to TB-Profiler.

A new role for lipoproteins LpqZ and FecB in orchestrating mycobacterial cell envelope biogenesis

This study identifies lipoproteins LpqZ and FecB as essential for mycobacterial cell envelope biogenesis through interactions with enzymes involved in glycoconjugate synthesis.

Neonatal BCG Vaccination Engages the Vasculature to Elicit γδ T Cell-Mediated Protection against Tuberculosis

This study shows neonatal BCG vaccination expands IL-17/IL-22-producing γδ T cells, mediates protection against TB, and induces a microbiome signature linked to gut-lung axis immunity.

Chlorotonils exhibit potent activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, while resistance is mediated by MmpR5-MmpL5

This study identifies chlorotonils as potent anti-Mtb agents and shows resistance is mediated by MmpR5-MmpL5.

Immune response to co-administration of bovine tuberculosis and contraceptive vaccines in badgers (Meles meles)

This study evaluates the immune response and efficacy of co-administering a bovine tuberculosis vaccine (BCG) and a contraceptive vaccine (GonaCon) in badgers, finding no significant adverse effects and potential enhanced BCG protection with booster vaccination.

Characterization of the pulmonary immune response induced by a highly protective tuberculosis vaccine using latent and acute infection mouse models

This paper evaluates a tuberculosis vaccine regimen in mouse models, finding it highly effective in preventing reactivation and acute infection by enhancing specific immune cell populations.

Patterns of compensatory mutations in rpoA/B/C genes of multidrug resistant M. tuberculosis in Uganda

This study identifies compensatory mutations in rpoA/B/C genes of rifampicin-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates in Uganda, finding rpoC/Gly594Glu and rpoC/Val483Ala as the most frequent.

Pharmacological inhibition of host pathways enhances macrophage killing of intracellular bacterial pathogens

This study shows that inhibiting specific host proteins enhances macrophage killing of intracellular bacteria like Mtb, L. pneumophila, and L. monocytogenes.

Antigen specificity shapes antibody functions in tuberculosis.

This study shows antigen specificity shapes antibody functions in tuberculosis, with different subclasses and targets affecting disease outcomes through Fc effector mechanisms.