Formation of dTDP-rhamnose is essential for growth of mycobacteria.
Department of Microbiology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
It was determined that the dTDP-rhamnose synthesis gene, rmlD, could be inactivated in Mycobacterium smegmatis only in the presence of a rescue plasmid carrying functional rmlD. Hence, dTDP-rhamnose biosynthesis is essential for the growth of mycobacteria and the targeting of dTDP-rhamnose synthesis for new tuberculosis drugs is supported.
PMID: 12029057 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC135104