Implications of Chemoautotrophism in Mycobacterium leprae

Abstract

Mycobacterium leprae is generally considered as a host-dependent intracellular parasite, deriving energy and nutrients for growth from the human phagocytic cells in which it multiplies abundantly. This has recently been challenged by Kato^1,2 who reported that many characteristics of M. leprae recall those of the chemoautotrophic microorganisms. Our investigations indicated the absence of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and the presence of ribulose-diphosphate carboxylase in cell-free extracts of M. leprae which are peculiar to the autotrophs and suggest that M. leprae probably is an autotrophic microorganism.