Abstract 2916 Synthesis of a Library of Mycobacterial Glycopeptidolipid Fragments for the Development of Aptamer-Based Diagnostic Tools

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are a group of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) that cause several clinical patterns, including pulmonary disease, skin and soft tissue infections, and musculoskeletal infections in immunocompromised individuals. MAC cannot be distinguished in the microbiology laboratory and need genetic testing. Glycopeptidolipids (GPLs) are a major class of lipids exposed on the outer cellular envelope of NTM species that affect colony morphology, sliding motility and contribute to their virulence by helping biofilm formation making them more resistant to the immune system's defenses and antibiotic treatment.