TY - JOUR AU - Rad, Mina Ebrahimi AU - Bifani, Pablo AU - Martin, Carlos AU - Kremer, Kristin AU - Samper, Sofia AU - Rauzier, Jean AU - Kreiswirth, Barry AU - Blazquez, Jesus AU - Jouan, Marc AU - van Soolingen, Dick AU - Gicquel, Brigitte T1 - Mutations in Putative Mutator Genes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strains of the W-Beijing Family T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2003 VL - 9 IS - 7 SP - 838 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Alterations in genes involved in the repair of DNA mutations (mut genes) result in an increased mutation frequency and better adaptability of the bacterium to stressful conditions. W-Beijing genotype strains displayed unique missense alterations in three putative mut genes, including two of the mutT type (Rv3908 and mutT2) and ogt. These polymorphisms were found to be characteristic and unique to W-Beijing phylogenetic lineage. Analysis of the mut genes in 55 representative W-Beijing isolates suggests a sequential acquisition of the mutations, elucidating a plausible pathway of the molecular evolution of this clonal family. The acquisition of mut genes may explain in part the ability of the isolates of W-Beijing type to rapidly adapt to their environment. KW - tuberculosis KW - epidemic KW - antibiotic resistance KW - mutator KW - research KW - France KW - the Netherlands KW - Spain DO - 10.3201/eid0907.020803 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/9/7/02-0803_article ER - End of Reference