The Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen GlcB (malate synthase) catalyzes synthesis of malate from glyoxylate and acetyl-CoA. This reaction is part of the glyoxylate cycle, which allows the bacterium to derive its carbon requirements from two-carbon compounds by bypassing the two carbocylation steps of the cytric acid cycle. This enzyme is up-regulated in response to phagocytosis and it is a virulence or persistence factor.