# Project 2. Acquisition, synthesis and importance of biotin in Mtb.

> **NIH NIH P01** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2020 · $304,810

## Abstract

Project 2, Abstract
Biotin is a universally essential cofactor for enzymes that perform various carboxylation, decarboxylation, and
transcarboxylation reactions. This includes key enzymes in fatty acid biosynthesis, replenishment of metabolites
in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and amino acid metabolism. When available, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)
can utilize exogenous biotin but Mtb is unable to scavenge biotin from the host. To grow and survive in the host
Mtb thus needs to synthesize biotin. Mtb enzymes involved in synthesizing biotin, ligating biotin, or utilizing biotin
have been identified by this group and others as attractive drug targets because their inhibition has the potential
to shorten TB chemotherapy. However, a better understanding of the biology of biotin in Mtb is required to fully
and effectively exploit Mtb’s susceptibility to biotin starvation for drug development. This Project addresses this
need by (i) identifying and functionally classifying the genes Mtb requires to synthesize and utilize biotin, (ii)
defining activities Mtb requires to import biotin or recycle biotin, and (iii) determining how biotin starvation affects
Mtb’s response to host relevant stresses. These activities directly contribute to the overall program goal of
understanding key pathways in Mtb biology that are important in adaptation to disease-relevant stressors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10024705
- **Project number:** 1P01AI143575-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Dirk Schnappinger
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $304,810
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10024705

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10024705, Project 2. Acquisition, synthesis and importance of biotin in Mtb. (1P01AI143575-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10024705. Licensed CC0.

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