Comparative genomics of the Mycobacterium signaling architecture and implications for a novel live attenuated Tuberculosis vaccine.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb), remains a major threat to global public health. A new TB vaccine affording superior immune protection to M. bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is imperative. The advantage of a live attenuated vaccine is that it can mimic the bona fide pathogen, elicit immune responses similar to natural infection, and potentially provide more protection than other vaccines. BCG, the only vaccine and a live attenuated vaccine that is the result of cumulative mutations by serial passage of M. bovis, has provided clues for the construction of novel improved vaccines. A strategy is put forward for identifying a new live attenuated TB vaccine generated by cumulative mutation based on M.tb. Given the important role of the M.tb signaling network consisting of a two-component system, eukaryotic-like Ser/Thr protein kinase system and sigma factor system based on comparisons among M.tb H37Rv, M. bovis, and BCG, we have put a premium on this signaling circuit as the starting point for the generation of an attenuated TB vaccine.