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Bacterial pathogenesis

Mycobacterial biotin biosynthesis counters airway alkalinity

Mycobacterium abscessus requires high levels of biotin biosynthesis during infection, because this vitamin enables key adaptations to the alkaline lung airway environment through fatty acid remodelling that increases fluidity of the cell envelope.

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Fig. 1: Biotin-dependent membrane remodelling in the adaptation of M. abscessus to the lung airways and opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

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Correspondence to Laurent Kremer.

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Daher, W., Kremer, L. Mycobacterial biotin biosynthesis counters airway alkalinity. Nat Microbiol 8, 369–370 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564-023-01330-0

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