Drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Genome diversity project in Kazakhstan

Collaborative Research Program for 2022-2024

The goals of the project are to study the genomic variance of M.tuberculosis clinical isolates with different drug resistance (DR) based on whole genome-sequencing (NGS) data and the formation of DR mutation database of clinical isolates circulating in Kazakhstan.
Project Aims:
1. To collect DR clinical isolates from different regions of Kazakhstan and establish a well-characterized collection from new, recurrent, chronic TB patients (appr. 500 clinical isolates with their microbial characteristics and DNA of M. tuberculosis).
2. Comparative bioinformatics analysis of DR M. tuberculosis whole-genome sequence data (by Novoseq, MiSeq) with publicly available data for identification differences in mutation type between genes associated with DR to anti-TB drugs for the first and second line.
3. Phylogenetic analysis of collected DR strains of M.tuberculosis circulating in Kazakhstan in comparison with strains publicly available in the TB genomic databases.
4. Creation of a DR mutation data based on whole genome sequencing and search of potential new mutations involved in drug resistance for first, second-line anti-TB drugs.
The impact of the project is to improve the TB treatment decision and in improving our understanding of the emergence and spread of TB drug resistance in Kazakhstan and globally.