Use of bioinformatics to predict a function for the GS element in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis (MAP) is a member of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and causes the inflammatory bowel disease, Johne's disease, in livestock. MAP has also been implicated as the causative agent of a similar disease, Crohn's disease, in humans. One of thre...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of molecular microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 5; no. 1; p. 57
Main Authors Sheridan, Joe M, Bull, Tim J, Hermon-Taylor, John
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2003
Subjects
Amino Acid Sequence
Animal diseases
Animals
Bacterial Proteins - genetics
Bacterial Proteins - metabolism
Bioinformatics
Biosynthesis
Computational Biology
Crohn Disease - microbiology
Crohn Disease - physiopathology
DNA Transposable Elements
Glycolipids - metabolism
Humans
Livestock
Molecular Sequence Data
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis - enzymology
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis - genetics
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis - pathogenicity
Paratuberculosis - microbiology
Paratuberculosis - physiopathology
Peptides - metabolism
Polymerase Chain Reaction
Sequence Alignment
Sequence Analysis, DNA
Virulence - genetics
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Mycobacterium avium subsp. Paratuberculosis (MAP) is a member of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and causes the inflammatory bowel disease, Johne's disease, in livestock. MAP has also been implicated as the causative agent of a similar disease, Crohn's disease, in humans. One of three major genetic differences between MAP and non-pathogenic MAC is the 6496-bp GS element. Based on the output from freely available protein sequence and structural bioinformatics tools, and the close homology of GS genes with the SER2 region of the closely related Mycobacterium avium subsp. Avium (MAA), we predict that GS encoded enzymes are involved in the biosynthesis of GDP-fucose, and the addition to, and modification of fucose on, the oligosaccharide moiety of GPL. GPL is a major constituent of the cell wall of the MAC and has immunomodulatory properties. Therefore, the enzymes involved in its synthesis may provide novel drug targets against MAP and other pathogenic MAC members.
ISSN:1464-1801
1660-2412
DOI:10.1159/000068723