image: This image shows the killing effect of BTZ043 on individual cells. M. tuberculosis growing in a microfluidics device was monitored at two-hour intervals by fluorescence microscopy. Representative frames are shown at 96 h intervals with (+) or without (–) drug. BTZ043 was added at 96 h (200 ng/ml) and maintained in the culture until 336 h when drug-free medium was introduced for the remainder of the experiment. Note the disappearance of GFP-labeled bacilli due to lysis within the first 96 h, the absence of regrowth and the extensive cellular damage as evidenced by propidium iodide uptake at the experiment’s end (604 h). At this time all cells, including those positive for GFP, stained with propidium iodide. The white scale bar represents 5 μm. This image accompanied the report, “Benzothiazinones Kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Blocking Arabinan Synthesis,” by V. Makarov et. al. appearing in the March 20, 2009, issue of Science. view more
Credit: Image courtesy of <i>Science</i>-AAAS