01769nas a2200289   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001600059653003100075653002200106653001100128653001200139653002500151653003000176653001900206100001500225700001400240700001600254700001300270700001300283245005300296300001100349490000700360050001600367520108200383022001401465       2007                            d  c2007 Apr-Sep10aDrug Design10aDrug Resistance, Bacterial10aGenome, Bacterial10aHumans10aleprosy10aMycobacterium leprae10apolymerase chain reaction10aRNA, Ribosomal1 aKatoch V M1 aLavania M1 aChauhan D S1 aSharma R1 aKatoch K00aRecent advances in molecular biology of leprosy.  a151-660 v79  aKATOCH 20073 a<p>The last three decades have witnessed rapid progress in understanding the molecular biology of Mycobacterium leprae. Following the availability of complete genome sequence of leprosy bacillus in 2001, things have drastically changed. With the information about genetic structure, several techniques have been developed for diagnosis, molecular epidemiology and also detection of drug resistance. With the decline in the prevalence of leprosy globally, there has been some reduction in interest in the molecular methods for diagnosis, yet molecular techniques for studying the transmission dynamics and detection of drug resistance continue to be relevant. Knowledge about complete genome sequence has made it possible to undertake studies that can improve our understanding of the structure and function of this enigmatic organism. Newer information emerging about biology of M. leprae would provide insight into mechanisms of its survival and persistence in host and is likely to lead to better diagnostics and also therapeutics for mycobacterial infections in general.</p>  a0254-9395