Mycobacterial SecA2 mutants

摘要

Provided are mycobacteria comprising (a) a mutation that is not in a SecA2 gene that attenuates the virulence of the mycobacteria in a mammalian host, and (b) a mutation in a SecA2 gene that eliminates SecA2 activity. Also provided are mycobacteria that comprise a mutation in a SecA2 gene that eliminates SecA2 activity, where the mycobacteria are not Mycobacterium tuberculosis or Mycobacterium smegmatis. Additionally provided are methods of inducing an immune response in a mammal and methods of inducing an immune response to a pathogenic mycobacterium in a human using the above mycobacterial mutants.