Genomic Interactions Between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Humans

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is considered by many to be the deadliest microbe, with the estimated annual cases numbering more than 10 million. The bacteria, including Mycobacterium africanum, are classified into nine major lineages and hundreds of sublineages, each with different geographical distributions and levels of virulence. The phylogeographic patterns can be a result of recent and early human migrations as well as coevolution between the bacteria and various human populations, which may explain why many studies on human genetic factors contributing to tuberculosis have not been replicable in different areas. Moreover, several studies have revealed the significance of interactions between human genetic variations and bacterial genotypes in determining the development of tuberculosis, suggesting coadaptation. The increased availability of whole-genome sequence data from both humans and bacteria has enabled a better understanding of these interactions, which can inform the development of vaccines and other control measures.