Review Article

Mycoketide: A CD1c-Presented Antigen with Important Implications in Mycobacterial Infection

Table 1

Distribution of pks12 gene in mycobacteria speciesa.

Mycobacteria strainsGeneAmino acid residuesIdentityb (%)MPMc

M. tuberculosis H37RvRv 2048c 4151 100 +
 H37RaMRA_2063 4151 99.9 +
 CDC1551MT2108 4151 99.7 +
 F11TBFG_12085 4151 99.7 n.d.
 KZN1435TBMG_01933 4152 99.4 n.d.
M. bovis AF2122/97Mbo2074c 4151 99.4 n.d.
 BCG Tokyo 172JTY_2062 4151 99.6 n.d.
 BCG Pasteur 1173P2BCG_2067c 4151 99.6 +
M. africanum GM041182MAF_20630 4151 99.9 n.d.
M. canetti CIPT140010059MCAN_20711 4154 99.0 n.d.
M. marinum ATCC BAA-535MMAR_3025 4187 83.1 n.d.
M. ulcerans Agy99MUL_2266 4191 82.7 n.d.
M. avium 104MAV_2450 4171 80.8 +d
M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis k10MAP1796c 4170 80.4 n.d.

aThe criteria for identifying the pks12 gene is that the encoded Pks protein contains two tandem sets of FAS catalytic domains (KS, AT, DH, ER, KR, and ACP) on one polypeptide and that the two AT domains show substrate specificities for methylmalonyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA, respectively (Figure 1(c)). Without any of these, complete mycoketide structure would not be generated. The PKS database (http://www.nii.res.in/nrps-pks.html) is very useful to predict the catalytic domains and substrate specificity of a Pks enzyme.
bIdentities to the Rv2048c protein in the aminoacid sequences.
cThe MPM was determined by a bioassay using the CD8-1 T cells (n.d. not determined).
dThe MPM production was determined with M. avium serovar 4 strain (ATCC35767).