Mycobacterial glycoproteins: Functions and their significance in tuberculosis

Abstract

Abstract Glycoproteins are the carbohydrate conjugated complex biological macromolecules widely distributed in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Past studies have highlighted the role of bacterial glycoproteins in many crucial biological phenomena including host pathogen interaction, innate immune signaling, cell adhesion, drug resistance, and many more. Glycoproteins from many bacteria including the member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) complex are potent virulence factors that facilitate disease progression in the host. In this review, we have discussed the various mycobacterial glycoproteins, as well as their functions and role in disease pathogenesis. We found that glycoproteins are the indispensable assets of M. tb that help bacterial invasion, colonization as well as survival in host cells. Further, some of the glycoproteins also act as immuno-dominant antigens that elicit both humoral and cellular immune responses in the host. Hence, targeting these macromolecules can be a novel approach to overcome the global TB burden and can be exploited for their use in diagnosis and vaccine formulations.