Non-coding RNA and its potential role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis pathogenesis

It is estimated that one third of the human population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Efforts to understand the molecular basis of its gene regulation have been focused on identification of protein encoding genes and regulons implicated in pathogenesis. Recently, a number of studies have described the identification of several non-coding RNAs that are likely to contribute significantly to the regulatory networks responsible for adaptation and virulence in M. tuberculosis. We have reviewed emerging information on the presence and abundance of different types of non-coding RNA in M. tuberculosis and consider their potential contribution to the adaptive responses that underlie disease pathogenesis.