Mycobacterium tuberculosis requires glyoxylate shunt and reverse methylcitrate cycle for lactate and pyruvate metabolism

What is it about?

Mycobacterium tuberculosis assimilates lactate and pyruvate utilising glyoxylate shunt and methylcitrate cycle, two pathways traditionally associated with fatty acid metabolism in bacteria. Surprisingly, we found that M. tuberculosis synthesises propionyl-CoA by a reverse methylcitrate cycle and another partially characterised (in this study) pathway. Our results point to a re-interpretation of the mechanistic role and utilisation of these pathways by Mtb during infection, i.e. their potential reversibility and importance during lactate and pyruvate metabolism in vivo.

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