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Slide 013 Interventions for Tuberculosis Control and Elimination
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Isoniazid is a pro-drug, i.e., it requires activation by a catalase gene of M. tuberculosis.  For this reason, this KatG gene has been coined a "suicide gene". If this gene is lost, then M. tuberculosis becomes resistant to isoniazid.

The action of isoniazid is complex and apparently involves several targets, one of the important ones being interference with mycolic acid synthesis.

   
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Last update: September 29, 2010