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A low-carb diet for a high-octane pathogen

Nature Medicine volume 11, pages 599–600 (2005)Cite this article

Mycobacterium tuberculosis adapts to the low-glucose conditions in its host by using lipids as a fuel source. This adaptation reveals a weak flank that might be exploited in drug development, as shown in work on mice and human cells (pages 638–644).

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Figure 1: Major routes of biosynthesis during life for M. tuberculosis in vitro (glucose based) and life in vivo (lipid based).

Katie Ris

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  1. Tuberculosis Research Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, 20852, Maryland, USA

    H I Boshoff & C E Barry III

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  1. H I Boshoff
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  2. C E Barry III
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Boshoff, H., Barry, C. A low-carb diet for a high-octane pathogen. Nat Med 11, 599–600 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0605-599

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