Mycobacterium tuberculosis adaptation to host environment

Abstract

Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a pathogen that causes tuberculosis encounters a variety of stresses and extreme conditions such as acidic conditions, hypoxic and immune system stress, metal, and heat shocks during host infection. It withstands these hostile environments by employing various survival strategies. The lung macrophages are the primary immune cells that interact with M. tuberculosis after infection. Various proteins of M. tuberculosis are responsible for the survival of M. tuberculosis in acidic and hypoxic conditions inside the host. M. tuberculosis tolerates temperature variations with the help of various heat shock proteins (Hsp) such as Hsp70, Hsp22.5, HspR, and the protein Acr2, which is an active member of α-crystalline family of molecular chaperones. M. tuberculosis also overcomes toxic concentrations of various metal ions. M. tuberculosis fulfills iron requirements by the acquisition of iron using siderophores such as mycobactins and carboxymycobactins. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.