A Fluorogenic Trehalose Probe for Tracking Phagocytosed Mycobacterium tuberculosis

J Am Chem Soc. 2020 Sep 9;142(36):15259-15264. doi: 10.1021/jacs.0c07700. Epub 2020 Aug 27.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) disease is a global epidemic caused by the pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Tools that can track the replication status of viable Mtb cells within macrophages are vital for the elucidation of host-pathogen interactions. Here, we present a cephalosphorinase-dependent green trehalose (CDG-Tre) fluorogenic probe that enables fluorescence labeling of single live Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) cells within macrophages at concentrations as low as 2 μM. CDG-Tre fluoresces upon activation by BlaC, the β-lactamase uniquely expressed by Mtb, and the fluorescent product is subsequently incorporated within the bacterial cell wall via trehalose metabolic pathway. CDG-Tre showed high selectivity for mycobacteria over other clinically prevalent species in the Corynebacterineae suborder. The unique labeling strategy of BCG by CDG-Tre provides a versatile tool for tracking Mtb in both pre- and postphagocytosis and elucidating fundamental physiological and pathological processes related to the mycomembrane.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / cytology
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / metabolism*
  • Phagocytosis*
  • Trehalose / chemistry*

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Trehalose