5-Methylthiopentose: a new substituent on lipoarabinomannan in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

We have identified and characterised in several strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis a new 5-methylthiopentose substituent on lipoarabinomannan (LAM). The 5-methylthiopentose was initially observed in heteronuclear (1)H-(13)C-NMR spectra of intact, (13)C-enriched LAM. Oligosaccharides carrying this substituent were released from (13)C-enriched LAM and from unlabelled LAM using an endo-arabinanase from Cellulomonas gellida. The presence of the methylthio group in these oligosaccharides was established using NMR, high-resolution Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry using a Q-TOF mass spectrometer. The 5-methylthiopentose is linked to a terminal mannose in the cap structures of these oligosaccharides as evidenced by tandem mass spectrometry and by NMR. We suggest interference with the signal transduction mechanisms of infected macrophages as a possible function for this newly discovered LAM substituent. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.