Use of transposon Tn5367 mutagenesis and a nitroimidazopyran-based selection system to demonstrate a requirement for fbiA and fbiB in coenzyme F(sub)420 biosynthesis by Mycobacterium bovis BCG

Transposon mutagenesis demonstrates that both fbiA and fbiB genes are required for normal coenzyme F(sub)420-(sup)5,6 synthesis and together they constitute an operon. Data indicate that both the genes function between the intermediate FO and the coenzyme.