Abstract
BackgroundMycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is an emerging opportunistic human pathogen. It can cause pulmonary infections, lymphadenitis and disseminated infections in immuno-compromised patients. In addition, MAH is widespread in the environment, since it has been isolated from water, soil or dust. In recent years, knowledge on MAH at the molecular level has increased substantially. In contrast, knowledge of the MAH metabolic phenotypes remains limited.MethodsIn this study, for the first time we analyzed the metabolic substrate utilization of ten MAH isolates, five from a clinical source and five from an environmental source. We used BIOLOG Phenotype MicroarrayTM technology for the analysis. This technology permits the rapid and global analysis of metabolic phenotypes.ResultsThe ten MAH isolates tested showed different metabolic patterns pointing to high intra-species diversity. Our MAH isolates preferred to use fatty acids such as Tween, caproic, butyric and propionic acid as a carbon source, and L-cysteine as a nitrogen source. Environmental MAH isolates resulted in being more metabolically active than clinical isolates, since the former metabolized more strongly butyric acid (p = 0.0209) and propionic acid (p = 0.00307).DiscussionOur study provides new insight into the metabolism of MAH. Understanding how bacteria utilize substrates during infection might help the developing of strategies to fight such infections.
Highlights
Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is clinically one of the most relevant non-tuberculous mycobacteria (Tortoli, 2014)
Several whole genome sequences are available for many mycobacterial species, including MAH
We tested the capability of our ten MAH isolates to metabolize 379 different substrates
Summary
Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH) is clinically one of the most relevant non-tuberculous mycobacteria (Tortoli, 2014). MAH is an opportunistic human pathogen causing pulmonary infections, lymphadenitis in small children and disseminated infections (Despierres et al, 2012; Rindi & Garzelli, 2014). It is of increasing public health relevance, with reports of MAH infections increasing worldwide (Hoefsloot et al, 2013). Hominissuis (MAH) is an emerging opportunistic human pathogen It can cause pulmonary infections, lymphadenitis and disseminated infections in immuno-compromised patients. For the first time we analyzed the metabolic substrate utilization of ten MAH isolates, five from a clinical source and five from an environmental source. Environmental MAH isolates resulted in being more metabolically active than clinical isolates, since the former metabolized more strongly butyric acid (p = 0.0209) and propionic acid (p = 0.00307). Understanding how bacteria utilize substrates during infection might help the developing of strategies to fight such infections
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