Redox Proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Evolution of life took place in a reducing atmosphere. As a reminiscence of this, cytoplasm of all living organisms is reducing in nature. Furthermore most biochemical reactions like energy production etc. are redox in nature requiring either an electron supplier or acceptor. The maintenance of redox state thus becomes extremely crucial for any cell. Cells typically devote considerable resources for the maintenance of their redox state. M. tuberculosis successfully evades an array of host generated redox stresses. For this M. tuberculosis employs a large number of redox sensors and effectors. In our laboratory we have been studying some of these central players with a hope to be able to gain insights into the pathogen. We shall try to discuss the relevance of redox and our efforts to understand the same in this review.