Review Article

Lipid Droplets and Mycobacterium leprae Infection

Table 1

Comparison between the enzymes involved in TAG metabolism in M. tuberculosis and M. bovis BCG and their homologous in M. leprae. ND, not determined.

GeneEnzymeDiacylglycerol acyltransferase activity (in vitro)Influence on lipid bodies/TAG accumulationM. leprae homologueM. leprae homologue-diacylglycerol acyltransferase activity (in vitro)Reference

Rv3130c (tgs1)DGAT+Δtgs1decreases TAG accumulationML1244ND[26, 78]
Rv3734c (tgs2)DGAT+NDML1244ND[26, 78]
Rv3234c (tgs3)DGAT+NDML1244ND[26, 78]
Rv3088 (tgs4)DGAT+NDML1244ND[26, 78]
Rv1760 DGAT+NDML1244ND[26, 78]
Rv2285 DGAT+NDML1244ND[26, 78]
Rv3804c (85A)DGAT+Overexpression increases production of lipid bodiesML0097 (85A)ND[79]
BCG1489c [Rv1428c]DGATNDΔBCG1489c reduces TAG accumulationML2427cND[80]
BCG3153c (tgs1) [Rv3130c]DGATNDΔBCG3153c reduces TAG accumulationML1244ND[77]
BCG3794c (tgs2) [Rv3734c]DGATNDΔBCG3794c reduces TAG accumulationML1244ND[80]

GeneEnzymeTAG-hydrolyzing
activity (in vitro)
Influence on lipid bodies/TAG accumulationM. leprae homologueM. leprae homologue-TAG-hydrolyzing activity (in vitro) Reference

Rv3097c (lipY)Lipase/esterase+ΔlipY reduces TAG hydrolysis.
Overexpression increases TAG hydrolysis
ML0314c (lipU)
ML1053
ML1183c
ND[76]
Rv1399c (lipH )Lipase/esterase+NDML0314c (lipU) ND[75]
BCG1721 [Rv1683]Lipase/esterase++ML1346ND[80]
Rv0183 Lipase/esteraseHydrolyzes only monoacylglycerides
NDML2603ND[81]
Rv2224c Lipase/esteraseNDNDML1633cND[82]

GeneEnzymeIsocitrate cleavage
(in vitro)
Influence on lipid bodies/TAG accumulationM. leprae homologueM. leprae homologue-isocitrate cleavage (in vitro)Reference

Rv0467 (icl)
Rv1916 (icl2)
isocitrate lyase+ND (but the Δicl, Δicl2 strain shows no intracellular replication)ML1985c (aceA)ND[8387]