Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of preventing and treating tuberculosis in a subject infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The method involves inhibiting AhpD in the subject under conditions effective to make the pathogen susceptible to antimicrobial reactive nitrogen intermediates or reactive oxygen intermediates. The present invention also relates to methods of preventing and treating tuberculosis in a subject infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis involving inhibiting dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase or dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the subject under conditions effective to make the pathogen susceptible to antimicrobial reactive nitrogen intermediates or reactive oxygen intermediates. Also disclosed are methods for identifying candidate compounds suitable for treatment or prevention of tuberculosis.

Abstract: A recombinant expression system for the expression of a poly amino acid, peptide or protein is provided. The poly amino acid of interest is expressed as a fusion protein that includes an amino acid sequence recognized and cleaved by a Ulp1 protease. The amino acid sequence joined to the poly amino acid of interest is preferably from a SUMO (small ubiquitin-like molecule) protein. This sequence imparts favorable solubility and refolding properties to the fusion protein. A purification tag may also be incorporated into the fusion protein for ease of isolation. The Ulp1 protease used to cleave the fusion protein may be the Ulp1 protease or the active Ulp1 protease fragment, Ulp1(403-621). The Ulp1 protease rapidly and specifically cleaves the fusion proteins of the invention at the Ulp1 cleavage site. The amino acid sequence recognized by a Ulp1 protease is cleaved asymetrically to leave only an N-terminal serine joined to the poly amino acid of interest.