结核分枝杆菌katG、inhA、ahpC等突变与异烟肼耐药关系的研究

目的：了解结核分枝杆菌katG、inhA、ahpC、fabG1、sodA及sodC基因突变的特征及其与耐异烟肼的关系。方法对127例活动性肺结核患者痰标本进行菌型鉴定及结核分枝杆菌药敏试验,提取结核分枝杆菌菌株DNA,应用PCR扩增katG、inhA及ahpC、fabG1、sodA及sodC基因片段,并进行DNA序列分析。结果结核分枝杆菌药物敏感试验显示127株结核分枝杆菌中,其中47株耐异烟肼,80株对异烟肼敏感,耐异烟肼率为37.01%。47株耐异烟肼中,29株存在katG和（或）inhA基因突变,其中22株（46.81%,22/47）存在katG基因单位点突变,3株（6.38%,3/47）存在inhA基因单位点突变,4株（8.51%,4/47）存在katG及inhA基因联合位点突变。22株katG基因单位点突变中,20株为AGC315ACC、AGC315AAC （42.55%,20/47）突变,2株（2.13%,1/47）分别为CTG378CCG（Leu378Pro）、ACG394ATG（Thr394Met）突变,该突变位点及突变形式尚未见文献报道。18株katG及inhA未突变结核分枝杆菌均未检测到ahpC、fabG1、sodA及sodC基因突变。结论结核分枝杆菌对异烟肼耐药主要与katG和inhA基因突变有关。耐异烟肼结核分枝杆菌临床分离株378和394新突变位点的发现为进一步研究耐药机制以及耐药结核病的快速检测提供了依据。     

Population genetics study of isoniazid resistance mutations and evolution of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis

The molecular basis for isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is complex. Putative isoniazid resistance mutations have been identified in katG, ahpC, inhA, kasA, and ndh. However, small sample sizes and related potential biases in sample selection have precluded the development of statistically valid and significant population genetic analyses of clinical isoniazid resistance. We present the first large-scale analysis of 240 alleles previously associated with isoniazid resistance in a diverse set of 608 isoniazid-susceptible and 403 isoniazid-resistant clinical M. tuberculosis isolates. We detected 12 mutant alleles in isoniazid-susceptible isolates, suggesting that these alleles are not involved in isoniazid resistance. However, mutations in katG, ahpC, and inhA were strongly associated with isoniazid resistance, while kasA mutations were associated with isoniazid susceptibility. Remarkably, the distribution of isoniazid resistance-associated mutations was different in isoniazid-monoresistant isolates from that in multidrug-resistant isolates, with significantly fewer isoniazid resistance mutations in the isoniazid-monoresistant group. Mutations in katG315 were significantly more common in the multidrug-resistant isolates. Conversely, mutations in the inhA promoter were significantly more common in isoniazid-monoresistant isolates. We tested for interactions among mutations and resistance to different drugs. Mutations in katG, ahpC, and inhA were associated with rifampin resistance, but only katG315 mutations were associated with ethambutol resistance. There was also a significant inverse association between katG315 mutations and mutations in ahpC or inhA and between mutations in kasA and mutations in ahpC. Our results suggest that isoniazid resistance and the evolution of multidrug-resistant strains are complex dynamic processes that may be influenced by interactions between genes and drug-resistant phenotypes.     

耐多药结核分枝杆菌耐药相关基因突变特征分析

目的了解中国耐多药结核分枝杆菌耐药相关基因的分子特征。方法对138株耐多药结核分枝杆菌和45株敏感菌的耐药相关基因inhA、katG和oxyR-ahpC间隔区(异烟肼)、rpob(利福平)、gyrA(氧氟沙星)和rrs(卡那霉素)进行序列测定,分析其基因突变特点。结果 138株耐多药结核分枝杆菌中,14.4%的菌株inhA基因发生突变,72.5%菌株的katG基因发生突变,15.9%菌株的oxyR-ahpC基因发生突变,同时考虑这3种基因,异烟肼耐药相关基因突变检出率可达90.6%;94.2%菌株的rpoB基因发生突变,74.5%菌株的gyrA基因发生突变,61.1%菌株的rrs基因发生突变,主要的突变位点为katG315(66.7%),inhA-15(9.4%),oxyR-ahpC-10(5.1%),rpoB516(13.8%),526(26.1%)和531(49.3%),gyrA90(21.6%)和94(51%),rrs1401(61.1%)。结论我国耐多药结核菌异烟肼、利福平、氧氟沙星和卡那霉素耐药相关基因最常见突变为katG315、inhA-15,rpoB531、526和516,gyrA94和90,rrs1401。     

Molecular analysis of isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates recovered from South Korea

The katG, inhA and ahpC genes, in 71 isoniazid (INH)-resistant and 26 INH-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, from South Korea were examined by sequencing and MspI restriction enzyme analysis. Mutations in the katG 315 alone, katG 315 plus inhA, katG 315 plus ahpC, katG 309 alone, katG 309 plus inhA, inhA alone, and ahpC alone, were detected in 54.9, 2.8, 1.4, 1.4, 1.4, 19.7, and 5.6% of the 71 INH-resistant isolates, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in the frequencies of these mutations for the INH-monoresistant compared with the multidrug-resistant isolates. Mutations in the katG codon 315 were associated with the high-level of INH resistance (MIC, >1 microg/ml), whereas the mutation in the inhA promoter region was associated with the low-level of INH resistance (MIC, >0.2 to 1 microg/ml). The previously undescribed GGT-->GAT (Gly-->Asp) mutation in the katG codon 309 was found in two rifampin, including-multidrug-resistant isolates, but we cannot assess if this is predictive of INH resistance. The sensitivity and specificity of molecular analysis of the katG codon 315 and/or the inhA promoter region were 80.3 and 100%, respectively. Therefore, mutations in these regions are highly predictive of INH resistance in South Korea.     

Characterization of the katG and inhA genes of isoniazid-resistant clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Resistance to isoniazid in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been associated with mutations in genes encoding the mycobacterial catalase-peroxidase (katG) and the InhA protein (inhA). Among the 26 isoniazid-resistant clinical isolates evaluated in this study, mutations in putative inhA regulatory sequences were identified in 2 catalase-positive isolates, katG gene alterations were detected in 20 strains, and 4 isolates had wild-type katG and inhA genes. Mutations in the katG gene were detected in all 11 catalase-negative isolates: one frameshift insertion, two partial gene deletions, and nine different missense mutations were identified. An arginine-to-leucine substitution at position 463 was detected in nine catalase-positive isolates. However, site-directed mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that the presence of a leucine at codon 463 did not alter the activity of the M. tuberculosis catalase-peroxidase and did not affect the capacity of this enzyme to restore isoniazid susceptibility to isoniazid-resistant, KatG-defective Mycobacterium smegmatis BH1 cells. These studies further support the association between katG and inhA gene mutations and isoniazid resistance in M. tuberculosis, while also suggesting that other undefined mechanisms of isoniazid resistance exist.     

Molecular characterization of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates collected in Australia

Elucidation of the molecular basis of isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis has led to the development of different genotypic approaches for the rapid detection of INH resistance in clinical isolates. Mutations in katG, in particular the S315T substitution, are responsible for INH resistance in a large proportion of tuberculosis cases. However, the frequency of the katG S315T substitution varies with population samples. In this study, 52 epidemiologically unrelated clinical INH-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates collected in Australia were screened for mutations at katG codon 315 and the fabG1-inhA regulatory region. Importantly, 52 INH-sensitive isolates, selected to reflect the geographic and genotypic diversity of the isolates, were also included for comparison. The katG S315T substitution and fabG1-inhA -15 C-to-T mutation were identified in 34 and 13 of the 52 INH-resistant isolates, respectively, and none of the INH-sensitive isolates. Three novel katG mutations, D117A, M257I, and G491C, were identified in three INH-resistant strains with a wild-type katG codon 315, fabG1-inhA regulatory region, and inhA structural gene. When analyzed for possible associations between resistance mechanisms, resistance phenotype, and genotypic groups, it was found that neither the katG S315T nor fabG1-inhA -15 C-to-T mutation clustered with any one genotypic group, but that the -15 C-to-T substitution was associated with isolates with intermediate INH resistance and isolates coresistant to ethionamide. In total, 90.4% of unrelated INH-resistant isolates could be identified by analysis of just two loci: katG315 and the fabG1-inhA regulatory region.     

Effect of mutation and genetic background on drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Bacterial factors may contribute to the global emergence and spread of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Only a few studies have reported on the interactions between different bacterial factors. We studied drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from a nationwide study conducted from 2000 to 2008 in Switzerland. We determined quantitative drug resistance levels of first-line drugs by using Bactec MGIT-960 and drug resistance genotypes by sequencing the hot-spot regions of the relevant genes. We determined recent transmission by molecular methods and collected clinical data. Overall, we analyzed 158 isolates that were resistant to isoniazid, rifampin, or ethambutol, 48 (30.4%) of which were multidrug resistant. Among 154 isoniazid-resistant strains, katG mutations were associated with high-level and inhA promoter mutations with low-level drug resistance. Only katG(S315T) (65.6% of all isoniazid-resistant strains) and inhA promoter -15C/T (22.7%) were found in molecular clusters. M. tuberculosis lineage 2 (includes Beijing genotype) was associated with any drug resistance (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 5.6; P < 0.0001). Lineage 1 was associated with inhA promoter -15C/T mutations (OR, 6.4; 95% CI, 2.0 to 20.7; P = 0.002). We found that the genetic strain background influences the level of isoniazid resistance conveyed by particular mutations (interaction tests of drug resistance mutations across all lineages; P < 0.0001). In conclusion, M. tuberculosis drug resistance mutations were associated with various levels of drug resistance and transmission, and M. tuberculosis lineages were associated with particular drug resistance-conferring mutations and phenotypic drug resistance. Our study also supports a role for epistatic interactions between different drug resistance mutations and strain genetic backgrounds in M. tuberculosis drug resistance.     

Analysis of the oxyR-ahpC region in isoniazid-resistant and -susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex organisms recovered from diseased humans and animals in diverse localities.

Automated DNA sequencing was used to analyze the oxyR-ahpC region in 229 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates recently recovered from diseased humans and animals. The entire 1,221-bp region was studied in 118 isolates, and 111 other isolates were sequenced for oxyR, ahpC, or the 105-bp oxyR-ahpC intergenic region. The sample included isoniazid (INH)-susceptible and -resistant organisms in which the katG gene and inhA locus had previously been sequenced in their entirety to identify polymorphisms. A total of 16 polymorphic sites was identified, including 5 located in oxyR, 2 in ahpC, and 9 in the 105-bp intergenic region. All polymorphic sites located in the intergenic region, and the two missense substitutions identified in ahpC, occurred in INH-resistant organisms. In contrast, there was no preferential association of polymorphisms in oxyR, a pseudogene, with INH-resistant organisms. Surprisingly, most INH-resistant strains with KatG codon 315 substitutions that substantially reduce catalase-peroxidase activity and confer high MICs of INH lacked alterations in the ahpC gene or oxyR-ahpC intervening region. Taken together, the data are consistent with the hypothesis that some polymorphisms located in the ahpC-oxyR intergenic region are selected for after reduction in catalase or peroxidase activity attributable to katG alterations arising with INH therapy. These mutations are uncommon in recently recovered clinically significant organisms, and hence, there is no strict association with INH-resistant patient isolates. The ahpC compensatory mutations are apparently uncommon because strains with a KatG null phenotype are relatively rare among epidemiologically independent INH-resistant organisms.     

Molecular characteristics of rifampicin- and isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from the Russian Federation

OBJECTIVES: Three Mycobacterium tuberculosis genetic loci--rpoB and katG genes and the fabG1(mabA)-inhA operon promoter region--were studied to reveal the mutations associated with rifampicin and isoniazid resistance. METHODS: Four hundred and twelve isolates of M. tuberculosis from different regions of the Russian Federation were collected during 1997-2005. A matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based minisequencing method was used for the detection of mutations. RESULTS: Thirteen different variants of single mutations in codons 533, 531, 526, 516, 513 and 511 of the rifampicin resistance-determining region of the rpoB gene as well as the TTG insertion in the 514a position were found among the rifampicin-resistant isolates. Single nucleotide substitutions in codons 531, 526 and 516 (64.8%, 10.3% and 7.7%, respectively) were the most prevalent mutations. Codon 526 was shown to be the most variable of all. No mutations were detected in rpoB genes for 29 (10.7%) of the rifampicin-resistant isolates. 76.9% of the isoniazid-resistant isolates carried single mutations in codon 315 of the katG gene. For another 12.9% of them, double mutations in the katG gene and the fabG1(mabA)-inhA promoter region were revealed. No mutations were detected in 8.2% of the isoniazid-resistant isolates. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular analysis of the loci of rpoB and katG genes and the inhA promoter region of 412 M. tuberculosis clinical isolates from various parts of the Russian Federation was carried out. The new MALDI-TOF MS-based method may be used for rapid and accurate monitoring of the spread of drug resistance.     

Molecular characterization of isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: identification of a novel mutation in inhA

Multiplex allele-specific PCRs detecting katG codon 315 and mabA (bp -15) mutations could specifically identify 77.5% of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in the South China region. One clinical isolate harboring InhA Ile194Thr was characterized to show strong association with isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.     

Molecular characterization of isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates in Lithuania

Mutations at codon 315 of the katG gene were detected in 312 of 364 (85.7%) isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates. Seven of 52 (13.5%) isoniazid-resistant isolates with the wild-type Ser315 codon and 10 of 52 (19.2%) isoniazid-resistant isolates with a mutated katG allele had mutation -15C-->T in the promoter of the mabA-inhA operon.     

耐药结核分枝杆菌基因突变分析

目的 探讨结核分枝杆菌耐药表型与基因突变位点之间的相互关系.方法 采用序列特异性引物分别扩增92株结核分枝杆菌利福平耐药基因rpoB,异烟肼耐药基因katG、inhA、ahpC,链霉素耐药基因rrs、rpsL,乙胺丁醇耐药基因embB及喹诺酮耐药基因gyrA,SSCP筛选出突变序列,DNA测序分析突变性质.结果 59株利福平耐药株rpoB基因突变检出率94.9%(56/59),以Ser450Trp突变最多;90株异烟肼耐药株中,katG基因突变检出率38.9%(35/90),以Ser315Thr最多,3株检出inhA基因突变,ahpC基因无突变检出;34株喹诺酮耐药株中gyrA基因突变检出率82.4%(28/34),主要为Asp94Gly,其次为Ala90Val;31株链霉素耐药株中,15株检出rrs突变,最常见为A514C和A1041G,10株发生rpsL Lys88Arg突变,总的链霉素基因突变检出率为77.4%(24/31);31株乙胺丁醇耐药株中embB 基因突变检出率19.4%(6/31),主要为Met306Val.结论 耐药结核分枝杆菌耐药情况较为严重,以DNA测序为基础的基因突变分析能快速有效地检测结核分枝杆菌的rpoB、katG、gyrA、rrs、rpsL、embB 等耐药分子标识,显示了西安地区耐药性结核分枝杆菌的突变特点,为结核病的临床诊断和合理用药提供了实验依据.     

katG mutations in isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates recovered from Finnish patients.

katG and inhA genes from isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated in Finland were examined by PCR or sequencing. By PCR, katG was not detected in 3 of 54 strains. Sequencing of katG from 13 strains showed small point mutations or insertions; a previously described mutation causing a Ser-to-Thr change at position 315 was found in 4 strains, and there were nine new missense mutations of katG. A 209-bp segment of inhA from 17 strains was sequenced, but no mutations were observed. This result indicates that different mutations prevail in different geographical areas.     

基因芯片技术在结核分支杆菌耐药突变基因检测中的应用

目的通过基因芯片检测系统，快速检测临床样品中结核分支杆菌耐药突变情况。方法根据结核分支杆菌标准株H37Rv序列，设计了覆盖rpoB、katG，inhA基因突变区的系列寡核苷酸探针，制作膜芯片，检测临床样品中结核分支杆菌基因突变情况，以此判断耐药结果。结果在305例临床病例中，共检出阳性病例125例，其中阳性敏感病例64例，阳性突变病例61例，阳性率为40．98％，在125例阳性样品中，共发现有8种突变类型，其中10例531L，占7．94％，19例315M，占阳性样品中总数的15．08％。结论PCR与膜芯片杂交技术可临床检测结核分支杆菌对利福平和异烟肼的耐药性，并具有快速、简便、敏感的特点。     

Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated in Nepal

Despite the fact that Nepal is one of the first countries globally to introduce multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) case management, the number of MDR-TB cases is continuing to rise in Nepal. Rapid molecular tests applicable in this setting to identify resistant organisms would be an effective tool in reversing this trend. To develop such tools, information about the frequency and distribution of mutations that are associated with phenotypic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis is required. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of mutations in rpoB and katG genes and the inhA promoter region in 158 M. tuberculosis isolates (109 phenotypically MDR and 49 non-MDR isolates collected in Nepal) by DNA sequencing. Mutations affecting the 81-bp rifampin (RIF) resistance-determining region (RRDR) of rpoB were identified in 106 of 109 (97.3%) RIF-resistant isolates. Codons 531, 526, and 516 were the most commonly affected, at percentages of 58.7, 15.6, and 15.6%, respectively. Of 113 isoniazid (INH)-resistant isolates, 99 (87.6%) had mutations in the katG gene, with Ser315Thr being the most prevalent (81.4%) substitution. Mutations in the inhA promoter region were detected in 14 (12.4%) INH-resistant isolates. The results from this study provide an overview of the current situation of RIF and INH resistance in M. tuberculosis in Nepal and can serve as a basis for developing or improving rapid molecular tests to monitor drug-resistant strains in this country.     

High prevalence of KatG Ser315Thr substitution among isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates from northwestern Russia, 1996 to 2001

A total of 204 isoniazid (INH)-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from different patients in the northwestern region of Russia from 1996 to 2001 were screened by a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. This assay uses HapII cleavage of an amplified fragment of the katG gene to detect the transversion 315AGC-->ACC (Ser-->Thr), which is associated with INH resistance. This analysis revealed a 93.6% prevalence of the katG S315T mutation in strains from patients with both newly and previously diagnosed cases of tuberculosis (TB). This mutation was not found in any of 57 INH-susceptible isolates included in the study. The specificity of the assay was 100%; all isolates that contained the S315T mutation were classified as resistant by a culture-based susceptibility testing method. The Beijing genotype, defined by IS6110-RFLP analysis and the spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) method, was found in 60.3% of the INH-resistant strains studied. The katG S315T shift was more prevalent among Beijing genotype strains than among non-Beijing genotype strains: 97.8 versus 84.6%, respectively, for all isolates, including those from patients with new and previously diagnosed cases, isolated from 1999 to 2001 and 100.0 versus 86.5%, respectively, for isolates from patients with new cases isolated from 1996 to 2001. The design of this PCR-RFLP assay allows the rapid and unambiguous identification of the katG 315ACC mutant allele. The simplicity of the assay permits its implementation into routine practice in clinical microbiology laboratories in regions with a high incidence of TB where this mutation is predominant, including northwestern Russia.     

Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates resistant to both isoniazid and ethambutol

In performing radiometric susceptibility testing on over 2,000 patient isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during the past 6 years, we found that resistance to 7.5 microg/ml ethambutol (EMB) occurred only in isolates that are also resistant to 0.4 microg/ml isoniazid (INH). Using 157 selected isolates in the present study, we performed radiometric and agar proportion susceptibility tests and DNA sequencing of genetic regions associated with resistance to these two drugs. The goal was to study the occurrence of the common mutations associated with resistance to each drug and also to determine whether any particular INH-resistance-associated mutation occurred more often in combination with any particular EMB-resistance-associated mutation. In an analysis of 128 isolates resistant to 0.4 microg/ml INH, we found that a mutation at katG Ser315 was more common in isolates also resistant to 7.5 microg/ml EMB (61 of 67=91.0%) than in isolates either susceptible to EMB or resistant to 2.5 microg/ml EMB (39 of 60=65.0%). These observations suggest that INH-resistant strains with a mutation at katG Ser315 are more likely to acquire resistance to 7.5 microg/ml EMB than are isolates with INH-resistance-associated mutations at other sites. In addition, we found that 64 of 67 (95.5%) isolates resistant to 7.5 microg/ml EMB contained a mutation in either codon 306 or codon 406 of embB. Met306Val was the most common embB mutation, present in 52 (77.6%) of the 67 isolates. Most occurrences of this mutation (49 of 52=94.2%) were found in isolates that also contained the katG Ser315Thr mutation. Finally, sequencing this region of embB appears to be sufficiently sensitive for use as a rapid screening tool for detection of high-level resistance to EMB.     

Molecular basis of rifampin and isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium bovis strains isolated in Sardinia, Italy

Fourteen of 22 (68%) Mycobacterium bovis strains isolated from cattle in Sardinia were found to be resistant to rifampin and isoniazid. Analysis of the rpoB and the katG, oxyR-ahpC, and inhA gene regions of these strains was performed in order to investigate the molecular basis of rifampin and isoniazid resistance, respectively. The most frequent mutation, encountered in 6 of 10 strains (60%), was in the rpoB gene; it occurred, at codon position 521 and resulted in leucine changed to proline. This suggests that codon 521 may be important for the development of rifampin resistance in M. bovis. Resistance to isoniazid is associated in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with a variety of mutations affecting one or more genes. Our results confirm the difficulty of interpreting the sequence variations observed in clinical strains of M. bovis. M. bovis strains isolated from the same geographic area showed similar mutations within the genes responsible for rifampin and isoniazid resistance. Our results represent the first study to elucidate the molecular genetic basis of drug resistance in M. bovis isolated from cattle.     

Molecular Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant Isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from Patients in North India

The World Health Organization has identified India as a major hot-spot region for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We have characterized the sequences of the loci associated with multidrug resistance in 126 clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis from India to identify the respective mutations. The loci selected were rpoB (rifampin), katG and the ribosomal binding site of inhA (isoniazid), gyrA and gyrB (ofloxacin), and rpsL and rrs (streptomycin). We found known as well as novel mutations at these loci. Few of the mutations at the rpoB locus could be correlated with the drug resistance levels exhibited by the M. tuberculosis isolates and occurred with frequencies different from those reported earlier. Missense mutations at codons 526 to 531 seemed to be crucial in conferring a high degree of resistance to rifampin. We identified a common Arg463Leu substitution in the katG locus and certain novel insertions and deletions. Mutations were also mapped in the ribosomal binding site of the inhA gene. A Ser95Thr substitution in the gyrA locus was the most common mutation observed in ofloxacin-resistant isolates. A few isolates showed other mutations in this locus. Seven streptomycin-resistant isolates had a silent mutation at the lysine residue at position 121. While certain mutations are widely present, pointing to the magnitude of the polymorphisms at these loci, others are not common, suggesting diversity in the multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains prevalent in this region. Our results additionally have implications for the development of methods for multidrug resistance detection and are also relevant in the shaping of future clinical treatment regimens and drug design strategies.     

Improved real-time PCR for rapid detection of rifampin and isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates

In this study we designed two pairs of probes for the detection of rifampin and isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis with real-time PCR procedures. One pair of probes spans the region between codon 510 and 528 of the rpoB gene, and the other one screens for mutation at the regulatory region of the inhA gene. We have evaluated these probes in combination with two other pairs of probes previously described to detect mutations in 20 susceptible and 53 unique resistant M. tuberculosis clinical isolates. We were able to detect nine different mutations affecting five codons of the rpoB gene, two different mutations at codon 315 of the katG gene and a nucleotide substitution (C209T) in the regulatory region of the inhA gene within two hours turnaround.