Expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis NLPC/p60 family protein Rv0024 induce biofilm formation and resistance against cell wall acting anti-tuberculosis drugs in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Bacterial species are capable of living as biofilm and/or planktonic forms. Role of biofilms in the pathogenesis of several human pathogens is well established. However, in case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection the role of biofilms and the genetic requirements for biofilm formation remains largely unknown. We herein report that ectopic expression of Mtb Rv0024, encoding a putative peptidoglycan amidase, in non-pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis(Msm) strain (MsmRv0024) confer at least 10-fold increase in resistance against two prominent anti-tuberculosis drugs isoniazid and pyrazinamide. We further report that the development of resistance was due to significant increase in biofilm formation by Rv0024. Transmission electron microscopy revealed differences in cell surface architecture of MsmRv0024 when compared with Msm wild-type (WT) and vector control Msm pSMT3 (pSMT3) strains and this aggregation pattern was due to increased cell wall hydrophobicity, as determined by Bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbons assay (BATH). Confocal microscopy study showed increased adherence of MsmRv0024 bacteria to lung epithelial cells as compared to pSMT3 strain. However, infection studies showed no differences in host cell invasion and intracellular survival in mouse macrophages. We envision that Rv0024 may play a critical role in initial infection process, adherence to host cells and drug resistance. Thus, Rv0024 may be considered as a potential drug target for the treatment of tuberculosis.