RNA Sequencing of Galactan Truncated M. smegmatis

We wanted to probe the physiological role for galactan chain length in the bacterium Mycobacterium smegmatis. Through genetic engineering, we generated a mutant with truncated chain length. This mutant contained all normal arabinan branch points, but galactan length was reduced by approximately 50%. These cells contained numerous deleterious phenotypes. To ascertain the mechanism for these defects, we performed whole transcriptome sequencing of these cells, as well as wild-type and an isogenic control. This work will help to better understand how to target the cell envelope of pathogenic mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis