Heat shock protein HspX (alpha-crystallin homolog) (14 kDa antigen) (HSP16.3); Acts as a chaperone, as it has a significant ability to suppress the thermal denaturation of alcohol dehydrogenase. Cells overexpressing this gene grow more slowly than wild-type cells, and are less susceptible to autolysis following saturation of the culture in vitro, suggesting this protein may slow down the growth rate of M.tuberculosis in culture and by extension during macrophage infection. Belongs to the small heat shock protein (HSP20) family.

6 kDa early secretory antigenic target EsxA (ESAT-6); A secreted protein that plays a number of roles in modulating the host's immune response to infection as well as being responsible for bacterial escape into the host cytoplasm. Acts as a strong host (human) T-cell antigen. Inhibits IL- 12 p40 (IL12B) and TNF-alpha expression by infected host (mouse) macrophages, reduces the nitric oxide response by about 75%. In mice previously exposed to the bacterium, elicits high level of IFN-gamma production by T-cells upon subsequent challenge by M.tuberculosis, in the first phase of a protecti [...]

Immunogenic protein Mpt63 (antigen Mpt63/MPB63) (16 kDa immunoprotective extracellular protein); Rv1926c, (MT1977, MTCY09F9.38), len: 159 aa. Mpt63 (alternate gene name: mpb63), immunogenic protein (see citations below), identical to MPT63|MPB63 from Mycobacterium bovis (159 aa). Exported protein containing a N-terminal signal sequence: see notes below about proteomics. Predicted possible vaccine candidate (See Zvi et al., 2008).

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase/mycolyltransferase Ag85A; The antigen 85 proteins (FbpA, FbpB, FbpC) are responsible for the high affinity of mycobacteria for fibronectin, a large adhesive glycoprotein, which facilitates the attachment of M.tuberculosis to murine alveolar macrophages (AMs). They also help to maintain the integrity of the cell wall by catalyzing the transfer of mycolic acids to cell wall arabinogalactan, and through the synthesis of alpha,alpha- trehalose dimycolate (TDM, cord factor). They catalyze the transfer of a mycoloyl residue from one molecule of alpha,alpha-treh [...]

Possible protease; Rv3668c, (MTV025.016c), len: 232 aa. Possible protease (and more specifically a putative alkaline serine protease, equivalent to Q9CB98|ML2295 hypothetical protein from Mycobacterium leprae (234 aa), FASTA scores: opt: 1249, E(): 7.4e-66, (77.5% identity in 231 aa overlap). Also similar at C-terminal end with many proteases e.g. O86984 alkaline serine protease precursor from Thermomonospora fusca (368 aa), FASTA scores: opt: 190,E(): 0.00056, (28.9% identity in 173 aa overlap); Q55353|SAPII alkaline serine protease II from Streptomyces sp (382 aa), FASTA scores: opt: [...]

Rv0412c, (MTCY22G10.08c), len: 439 aa. Possible conserved membrane protein, equivalent to AL035159|MLCB1450_16|T44737 probable membrane protein from Mycobacterium leprae (403 aa), FASTA scores: opt: 2027,E(): 0, (80.4% identity in 403 aa overlap). Also some similarity with CAB71201.1|AL138538 putative secreted protein from Streptomyces coelicolor (429 aa).

Rv2721c, (MTCY05A6.42c, MTCY154.01c), len: 699 aa. Possible conserved transmembrane ala-, gly-rich protein,equivalent to Q49837|ML1002|U2235I possible conserved membrane protein from Mycobacterium leprae (687 aa), FASTA scores: opt: 2703, E(): 6.6e-135, (60.3% identity in 713 aa overlap). Shows some similaity to Q01377|CSP1 PS1 protein precursor (secreted protein) from Corynebacterium glutamicum (Brevibacterium flavum) (657 aa), FASTA scores: opt: 276, E(): 3.8e-07, (29.4% identity in 272 aa overlap); and Q9KIJ0 Rv2721c-like protein from Mycobacterium paratuberculosis (246 aa), FASTA s [...]

Conserved protein; Rv3035, (MTV012.50), len: 360 aa. Conserved protein,equivalent to Q9CBR0|ML1720 hypothetical protein from Mycobacterium leprae (364 aa), FASTA scores: opt: 1963,E(): 1.4e-108, (75.8% identity in 363 aa overlap). A core mycobacterial gene; conserved in mycobacterial strains (See Marmiesse et al., 2004).

Possible arabinofuranosyltransferase AftB; Involved in the biosynthesis of the arabinogalactan (AG) region of the mycolylarabinogalactan-peptidoglycan (mAGP) complex, an essential component of the mycobacterial cell wall. Catalyzes the transfer of arabinofuranosyl (Araf) residues from the sugar donor decaprenyl-phospho-arabinose (DPA) to the arabinan domain to form terminal beta-(1->2)-linked Araf residues, which marks the end point for AG arabinan biosynthesis before decoration with mycolic acids.