The Mycobacterium tuberculosis CysQ phosphatase modulates the biosynthesis of sulfated glycolipids and bacterial growth

CysQ is a 3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphatase that dephosphorylates intermediates from the sulfate assimilation pathway of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Here, we demonstrate that cysQ disruption attenuates Mtb growth in vitro and decreases the biosynthesis of sulfated glycolipids but not major thiols, suggesting that the encoded enzyme specifically regulates mycobacterial sulfation.