Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) (MTBC)

The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) is a group of genetically related bacterial species, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, and others, which are the causative agents of tuberculosis (CDC, 2021). Unlike a single molecular target, the MTBC represents a whole pathogen characterized by a complex, waxy cell wall rich in mycolic acids, which provides a formidable barrier to many antibiotics and facilitates intracellular survival within host macrophages (Gnat et al., 2021). Pharmacological intervention against MTBC typically involves "cocktail" therapy targeting multiple essential bacterial pathways simultaneously, such as cell wall synthesis (inhibited by isoniazid and ethambutol), RNA transcription (inhibited by rifampin), and energy production (inhibited by bedaquiline) (World Health Organization, 2023). The primary clinical challenge associated with MTBC is its ability to enter a latent state and the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains (Pai et al., 2016). Consequently, drug development focuses on identifying novel vulnerabilities within the MTBC proteome to shorten treatment duration and overcome existing resistance mechanisms (Gygli et al., 2017).

Other names

MTBCM. tuberculosis complexM. tb complex

Drugs targeting the MTBC employ diverse mechanisms: Isoniazid inhibits mycolic acid synthesis; Rifampin inhibits DNA-dependent RNA polymerase; Ethambutol inhibits arabinosyltransferase; Pyrazinamide disrupts membrane potential and transport; Bedaquiline inhibits mycobacterial ATP synthase; and Linezolid inhibits protein synthesis (World Health Organization, 2023; Gygli et al., 2017).