Identifying feasible metabolic routes in Mycobacterium smegmatis and possible alterations under diverse nutrient conditions

Background Many studies on M. tuberculosis have emerged from using M. smegmatis MC 2 155 (Msm), since they share significant similarities and yet Msm is non-pathogenic and faster growing. Although several individual molecules have been studied from Msm, many questions remain open about its metabolism as a whole and its capability to be versatile. Adaptability and versatility are emergent properties of a system, warranting a molecular systems perspective to understand them.