Table 1.

Factors believed to influence virulence in MAP and other mycobacteria.

Virulence Factor	Name/Function	Probable Role in MAP Virulence	References
GcpE	Protein involved in isoprenoid biosynthesis	Involved in the MEP pathway. Important in tissue invasion during early MAP infection	[69]
PstA	Non-ribosomal peptide synthetase	Glycopeptidolipid biosynthesis and associated with biofilm formation	[70]
KdpC	Probable potassium-transporting ATPase C chain	An inducible high-affinity potassium uptake system. In MAP it has been associated with organ colonisation and granuloma formation	[66,76]
PapA2	Conserved polyketide synthase-associated protein	Virulence-enhancing lipids of MTB. In MAP it is associated with tissue colonisation	[66,77]
ImpA	Inositol monophosphatase protein	Involved in cell wall permeability and persistence in macrophages	[66,78]
FabG2_2	Putative oxidoreductase	Involved in colonisation and persistence in macrophages during MAP infection	[66,79]
UmaA1	Mycolic acid methyltransferase	Involved in cell wall biosynthesis and tissue/organ colonisation	[79,80]
MptD (MAP3733c)	Putative ATP binding cassette transporter	Important in MAP adaptation during early infection through lipid metabolism	[81]
PknG (MAP3893c)	Serine/threonine protein kinase G	Contributes to biofilm and granuloma formation in MTB. In MAP it induces production of IFNγ leading to macrophage phosphorylation	[82,83]
MAP0949	Probable diguanylate cyclase	Involved in bacterial cell surface adhesions. Important in adaptation and evasion of the host immune system.	[84,85]
MAP2291	Haemoglobin-like oxygen carrier—glbO	Protects MAP against oxidative stress	[86]
MAP3634	Hypothetical protein of mycobacterial L,D-transpeptidases	Involved in bacterial cell wall synthesis through polymerisation of peptidoglycans	[86]