Mutations in Rv2983 as a novel determinant of resistance to nitroimidazole drugs in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

Delamanid represents one of two novel antimicrobial classes approved to treat tuberculosis in over 40 years. Pretomanid is another promising nitroimidazole pro-drug in clinical development. Characterization of the full spectrum of mutations conferring resistance to nitroimidazoles and their related phenotypes in Mycobacterium tuberculosis will inform development of suitable genotypic and phenotypic drug susceptibility tests. Here, we used a range of pretomanid doses to select pretomanid-resistant mutants in two pathologically distinct murine TB models. The frequency of spontaneous pretomanid resistance mutations was approximately 10-5 CFU. Pretomanid demonstrated dose-dependent bactericidal activity and selective amplification of resistant mutants. Whole genome sequencing of 161 resistant isolates from 47 mice revealed 99 unique mutations, 90% of which were found in 1 of 5 genes previously associated with nitroimidazole activation and resistance. The remaining 10% harbored isolated mutations in Rv2983. Complementing an Rv2983 mutant with a wild-type copy of Rv2983 restored wild-type susceptibility to pretomanid and delamanid, confirming that loss of Rv2983 function causes nitroimidazole resistance. By quantifying F420 and its precursor Fo in Mycobacterium smegmatis overexpressing Rv2983 and an M. tuberculosis Rv2983 mutant, we provide evidence that Rv2983 is necessary for F420 biosynthesis and nitroimidazole activation, perhaps as the guanylyltransferase CofC. F420H2-deficient mutants displayed hypersusceptibility to malachite green (MG), a selective decontaminant present in solid media used to isolate and propagate mycobacteria from clinical samples. The wide diversity of mutations causing high-level pretomanid resistance and MG hypersusceptibility of most mutants poses significant challenges to clinical detection of nitroimidazole resistance using either genotypic or phenotypic methods.\n\nSignificanceNitroimidazole pro-drugs represent a promising new class of anti-tuberculosis drugs. Reliable methods to assure nitroimidazole susceptibility are critical to assure their optimal use. Yet, the spectrum of nitroimidazole resistance mutations remains incompletely characterized. Using 161 pretomanid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates selected in pretomanid-treated mice, we discovered a novel resistance determinant, Rv2983, required for cofactor F420 biosynthesis and characterized the remarkable diversity of mutations in this and 5 other genes involved in nitroimidazole activation. We show that F420H2-deficient nitroimidazole-resistant mutants are hypersusceptible to the selective decontaminant malachite green used in solid media to isolate mycobacteria and may evade detection on such media. These results have important implications for development and clinical use of genotypic and phenotypic methods for nitroimidazole susceptibility testing.