PEPTIDES THAT STIMULATE MYCOBACTERIAL GROWTH

摘要

Compositions are disclosed comprising peptides which may be derived from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which compositions stimulate the growth of mycobacteria that are at cell densities too low to grow in the absence of the composition. The preferred peptides are ERGVT SEQ ID NO:1 and LVTLVFV [SEQ1D NO: 2] or a mixture thereof. Methods for making culture media that support the growth of mycobacteria under such conditions and methods for stimulating cell growth and rescuing cells from stress using the above peptides and for inducing the promoter of the M. tuberculosis homolog of the acr gene are disclosed.