Alterations in molecular response of Mycobacterium tuberculosis against anti-tuberculosis drugs

Tuberculosis (TB), an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has plagued humans since the early middle-ages. More than one million deaths are recorded annually due to TB, even in present times. These deaths are primarily attributed to the constant appearance of resistant TB strains. Even with the advent of new therapeutics and diagnostics techniques, tuberculosis remains challenging to control due to resistant M. tuberculosis strains. Aided by various molecular changes, these strains adapt to stress created by anti-tuberculosis drugs.

The review thus is an overview of ongoing research in the genome and transcriptome of antibiotic-resistant TB. It explores omics-based research to identify mutation and utilization of differential gene expression.

This study shows several mutations distinctive in the first- and second-line drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains. It also explores the expressional differences of genes involved in the fundamental process of the cells and how they help in drug resistance. With the development of transcriptomics-based studies, a new insight has developed to inquire about gene expression changes in drug resistance. This information on expressional pattern changes can be utilized to design the basic platform of anti-TB treatments and therapeutic approaches. These novel insights can be instrumental in disease diagnosis and global containment of resistant TB.