Researchers have discovered that the rv2531c gene in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for converting glutamate to GABA under stress. This finding could lead to new treatments for tuberculosis, reports infohub.kz.
A team of biochemists at UF Scripps Biomedical Research and Technology Institute, led by Luis Pedro Carvalho, has identified the hidden role of the rv2531c gene in the tuberculosis bacterium. The results were published in the journal PNAS. Previously, this gene was thought to be involved in polyamine synthesis, but new evidence points to a completely different mechanism.
The enzyme produced by the gene is activated under stress and rapidly converts glutamic acid to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which the TB bacillus needs for metabolism, signaling, and protection. According to Carvalho, the enzyme is not highly active under normal conditions, which is why its true function remained unnoticed for so long.
The scientists found about a thousand similar genetic sequences in other pathogens, including those causing leprosy and malaria parasites. This discovery could reshape approaches to antibiotic development and combating drug resistance.