Table 1. The list of strains and plasmids used in the study.

Strains/plasmids	Description of the strains	References
mc 2 155	High efficiency transformation strain of M. smegmatis.	[19]
Δarr::kan	M. smegmatis mc 2 155 where arr gene is disrupted with kan R cassette	This study
ΔudgB::hyg	M. smegmatis mc 2 155 where udgB gene is disrupted with hyg R cassette	[20]
Δfpg::hyg	M. smegmatis mc 2 155 where fpg gene is disrupted with hyg R cassette	[21]
ΔudgB::hygΔarr::kan	M. smegmatis mc 2 155 where udgB and arr genes are disrupted with hyg R and kan R cassettes, respectively	This study
Δfpg::hygΔarr::kan	M. smegmatis mc 2 155 where fpg and arr genes are disrupted using hyg R and kan R cassettes, respectively	This study
E. coli TG1	E. coli K-12 supE thi-1Δ (lac-proAB) Δ (mcr-hsdSM)	[22]
pJET 1.2	PCR product cloning vector for E. coli (AmpR)	Thermo Scientific
pPR27 (GenR)	A mycobacterial-E. coli shuttle vector with sacB selection marker, mycobacterial origin of replication being temperature sensitive and gentamycin resistance cassette	[23]
pUC4K	An E. coli multicopy plasmid with kanamycin resistance cassette	[24]
pMV361(HygR)	A vector with origin for replication in E. coli and an attachment site attP and integrase gene int for integration into L5 site in mycobacteria, and hsp60 promoter.	[25]
pMV261(HygR)	A multi-copy vector system with origins for replication in E. coli and mycobacteria (pAL500), and hsp60 promoter.	[25]