Growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at acidic pH depends on lipid assimilation and is accompanied by reduced GAPDH activity.

TitleGrowth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at acidic pH depends on lipid assimilation and is accompanied by reduced GAPDH activity.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2021
AuthorsGouzy A, Healy C, Black KA, Rhee KY, Ehrt, Sabine
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Volume118
Issue32
Date Published2021 08 10
ISSN1091-6490
Abstract

Acidic pH arrests the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro (pH < 5.8) and is thought to significantly contribute to the ability of macrophages to control M. tuberculosis replication. However, this pathogen has been shown to survive and even slowly replicate within macrophage phagolysosomes (pH 4.5 to 5) [M. S. Gomes et al., Infect. Immun. 67, 3199-3206 (1999)] [S. Levitte et al., Cell Host Microbe 20, 250-258 (2016)]. Here, we demonstrate that M. tuberculosis can grow at acidic pH, as low as pH 4.5, in the presence of host-relevant lipids. We show that lack of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and isocitrate lyase, two enzymes necessary for lipid assimilation, is cidal to M. tuberculosis in the presence of oleic acid at acidic pH. Metabolomic analysis revealed that M. tuberculosis responds to acidic pH by altering its metabolism to preferentially assimilate lipids such as oleic acid over carbohydrates such as glycerol. We show that the activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is impaired in acid-exposed M. tuberculosis likely contributing to a reduction in glycolytic flux. The generation of endogenous reactive oxygen species at acidic pH is consistent with the inhibition of GAPDH, an enzyme well-known to be sensitive to oxidation. This work shows that M. tuberculosis alters its carbon diet in response to pH and provides a greater understanding of the physiology of this pathogen during acid stress.

DOI10.1073/pnas.2024571118
Alternate JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID34341117
PubMed Central IDPMC8364206
Grant ListP01 AI143575 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
U19 AI111143 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States