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Estimating the mutation rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during infection

Nature Genetics volume 43, pages 400–401 (2011)Cite this article

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Current models of Mycobacterium tuberculosis latency presume very low mycobacterial replication and mutation rates. In contrast to these models, a study reporting whole-genome sequencing of mycobacteria isolated from infected macaques shows that the mutational capacity of M. tuberculosis during latency is not reduced, a finding with important implications for tuberculosis research and control.

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Figure 1: Comparison of M. tuberculosis replication and mutation rates within a macaque host with active TB disease or latent infection.

Marina Coral

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. David R. Sherman is at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,

    David R Sherman

  2. Sebastien Gagneux is at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,

    Sebastien Gagneux

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  1. David R Sherman
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  2. Sebastien Gagneux
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Correspondence to David R Sherman.

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Sherman, D., Gagneux, S. Estimating the mutation rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis during infection. Nat Genet 43, 400–401 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.815

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