Evolutionary Genetics of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and HIV-1: "The Tortoise and the Hare"

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Santos Pereira, A (Author) Other; Magalhaes, C (Author) Other; Araujo, PMM (Author) Other; Osorio, NS (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Microorganisms

Vol. 9

Pages: 1-15

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00T-A8T

DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9010147

Abstract (EN): The already enormous burden caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) alone is aggravated by co-infection. Despite obvious differences in the rate of evolution comparing these two human pathogens, genetic diversity plays an important role in the success of both. The extreme evolutionary dynamics of HIV-1 is in the basis of a robust capacity to evade immune responses, to generate drug-resistance and to diversify the population-level reservoir of M group viral subtypes. Compared to HIV-1 and other retroviruses, M. tuberculosis generates minute levels of genetic diversity within the host. However, emerging whole-genome sequencing data show that the M. tuberculosis complex contains at least nine human-adapted phylogenetic lineages. This level of genetic diversity results in differences in M. tuberculosis interactions with the host immune system, virulence and drug resistance propensity. In co-infected individuals, HIV-1 and M. tuberculosis are likely to co-colonize host cells. However, the evolutionary impact of the interaction between the host, the slowly evolving M. tuberculosis bacteria and the HIV-1 viral "mutant cloud" is poorly understood. These evolutionary dynamics, at the cellular niche of monocytes/macrophages, are also discussed and proposed as a relevant future research topic in the context of single-cell sequencing.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14