The lipolytic activity of LipJ, a stress-induced enzyme, is regulated by its C-terminal adenylate cyclase domain.

Lay abstract Tuberculosis (TB) remains the top contagious/infectious killer in the world. It is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria resides/replicates in the immune cell that normally has to eradicate infectious microorganisms. Though the treatment of TB is available, the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria is of major concern. The treatment of drug-resistant TB has been reported to be more difficult due to lengthy and complex treatment regimens. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new and better drugs to treat TB/drug-resistant TB. For this purpose understanding the role of each protein in the physiology of mycobacteria is required. Lipids play a critical role in the intracellular survival of this pathogen in the host. Our study demonstrated that LipJ supported the intracellular survival of bacteria. Therefore, it could be a potential drug target.