Which of the following is FALSE regarding mycobacterium?
High-Yield Explanation
Of paicular impoance is the presence of long-chain fatty acids called mycolic acids (for which the mycobacteria are named) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM), a lipid polysaccharide complex extending from the plasma membrane to the surface. These elements give the mycobacteria a cell wall with unusually high lipid content (more than 60% of the total cell wall mass), which accounts for many of their biologic characteristics. It can be thought of as a waxy coat that makes them hardy, impenetrable, and hydrophobic. Mycobacteria do not produce classic exotoxins or endotoxins. Disease processes are thought to be the result of two related host responses: Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) Ref: Ray C.G., Ryan K.J. (2010). Chapter 27. Mycobacteria. In C.G. Ray, K.J. Ryan (Eds), Sherris Medical Microbiology, 5e.