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. 2018 Jan 4;37(2):161–163. doi: 10.15252/embj.201798679

Figure 1. The role of SUV39H1 in restricting Mycobacterium tuberculosis in macrophages.

Figure 1

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of macrophages induces the expression of nuclear SUV39H1 and relocalization of the protein to the host cell surface. At the plasma membrane, SUV39H1 trimethylates the mycobacterial surface protein HupB, which reduces mycobacterial adhesion. After phagocytosis, SUV39H1 localizes in the mycobacterial vacuole. This restricts intracellular survival and/or multiplication of M. tuberculosis. The signaling pathway linking mycobacterial encountering and SUV39H1 upregulation and trafficking outside the nucleus will need to be deciphered. Similarly, the mechanism by which SUV39H1‐mediated trimethylation of HupB restricts mycobacteria inside the host cells will require further investigation.