Development of a multiplex PCR assay for rapid identification of Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia cepacia complex

We have developed a multiplex PCR assay for rapid identification and differentiation of cultures for Burkholderia pseudomallei, Burkholderia thailandensis, Burkholderia mallei and Burkholderia cepacia complex. The assay is valuable for use in clinical and veterinary laboratories, and in a deployable laboratory during outbreaks.     

Novel lytic bacteriophages from soil that lyse Burkholderia pseudomallei

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative saprophytic bacterium that causes severe sepsis with a high mortality rate in humans and a vaccine is not available. Bacteriophages are viruses of bacteria that are ubiquitous in nature. Several lysogenic phages of Burkholderia spp. have been found but information is scarce for lytic phages. Six phages, ST2, ST7, ST70, ST79, ST88 and ST96, which lyse B. pseudomallei, were isolated from soil in an endemic area. The phages belong to the Myoviridae family. The range of estimated genome sizes is 24.0-54.6 kb. Phages ST79 and ST96 lysed 71% and 67% of tested B. pseudomallei isolates and formed plaques on Burkholderia mallei but not other tested bacteria, with the exception of closely related Burkholderia thailandensis which was lysed by ST2 and ST96 only. ST79 and ST96 were observed to clear a mid-log culture by lysis within 6 h when infected at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1. As ST79 and ST96 phages effectively lysed B. pseudomallei, their potential use as a biocontrol of B. pseudomallei in the environment or alternative treatment in infected hosts could lead to benefits from phages that are available in nature.     

Toxicity of the entomopathogenic bacteria Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus to the mushroom mite (Luciaphorus sp.; Acari: Pygmephoridae)

The mushroom mite, Luciaphorus sp. is a serious pest of tropical mushrooms. We determined the pathogenicity and toxicity of species and strains of the entomopathogenic bacteria, Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus to the mite. As these bacteria are known to produce antifungal substances, we first determined the effect of 21 species and strains of the bacteria on the mycelial growth of the mushroom, Lentinus squarrosulus. We then determined the toxicity of the eight species and strains of bacteria that did not show any effect on mushroom growth against both the female and male mites. All eight species and strains of the bacteria were toxic to the female mite resulting in significant mite mortality within 24-48 h. Cell-free supernatants from all the eight bacterial species and strains were also toxic to the female mite inflicting significant mortality within 24-48 h. The supernatants of two strains, GPS12 and GPS11, of Photorhabdus luminescens ssp. laumondii were significantly more toxic than the other species and strains to the female mite, resulting in 90-95% mite mortality within 48 h. Both the concentration and age of the bacteria had significant effect on the toxicity of the supernatants to the female mite. None of the bacteria showed toxicity to the male mite which has undeveloped mouthparts. These results indicate that P. luminescens ssp. laumondii and its byproducts are directly toxic to the female mite, suggesting the potential of developing a novel biological approach for the control of this mushroom pest. This is the first report on the miticidal activity of the entomopathogenic bacteria, Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus.     

Fine-scale genetic diversity among Burkholderia pseudomallei soil isolates in northeast Thailand

Burkholderia pseudomallei soil isolates from northeast Thailand were genotyped using multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). MLVA identified 19 genotypes within three clades, while MLST revealed two genotypes. These close genetic relationships imply a recent colonization followed by localized expansion, similar to what occurs in an outbreak situation.     

Genomic islands as a marker to differentiate between clinical and environmental Burkholderia pseudomallei

Burkholderia pseudomallei, as a saprophytic bacterium that can cause a severe sepsis disease named melioidosis, has preserved several extra genes in its genome for survival. The sequenced genome of the organism showed high diversity contributed mainly from genomic islands (GIs). Comparative genome hybridization (CGH) of 3 clinical and 2 environmental isolates, using whole genome microarrays based on B. pseudomallei K96243 genes, revealed a difference in the presence of genomic islands between clinical and environmental isolates. The largest GI, GI8, of B. pseudomallei was observed as a 2 sub-GI named GIs8.1 and 8.2 with distinguishable %GC content and unequal presence in the genome. GIs8.1, 8.2 and 15 were found to be more common in clinical isolates. A new GI, GI16c, was detected on chromosome 2. Presences of GIs8.1, 8.2, 15 and 16c were evaluated in 70 environmental and 64 clinical isolates using PCR assays. A combination of GIs8.1 and 16c (positivity of either GI) was detected in 70% of clinical isolates and 11.4% of environmental isolates (P<0.001). Using BALB/c mice model, no significant difference of time to mortality was observed between K96243 isolate and three isolates without GIs under evaluation (P>0.05). Some virulence genes located in the absent GIs and the difference of GIs seems to contribute less to bacterial virulence. The PCR detection of 2 GIs could be used as a cost effective and rapid tool to detect potentially virulent isolates that were contaminated in soil.     

Growing Burkholderia pseudomallei in Biofilm Stimulating Conditions Significantly Induces Antimicrobial Resistance

Background

Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Gram-negative bacterium that causes melioidosis, was reported to produce biofilm. As the disease causes high relapse rate when compared to other bacterial infections, it therefore might be due to the reactivation of the biofilm forming bacteria which also provided resistance to antimicrobial agents. However, the mechanism on how biofilm can provide tolerance to antimicrobials is still unclear.

Methodology/Principal Findings

The change in resistance of B. pseudomallei to doxycycline, ceftazidime, imipenem, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole during biofilm formation were measured as minimum biofilm elimination concentration (MBEC) in 50 soil and clinical isolates and also in capsule, flagellin, LPS and biofilm mutants. Almost all planktonic isolates were susceptible to all agents studied. In contrast, when they were grown in the condition that induced biofilm formation, they were markedly resistant to all antimicrobial agents even though the amount of biofilm production was not the same. The capsule and O-side chains of LPS mutants had no effect on biofilm formation whereas the flagellin-defective mutant markedly reduced in biofilm production. No alteration of LPS profiles was observed when susceptible form was changed to resistance. The higher amount of N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) was detected in the high biofilm-producing isolates. Interestingly, the biofilm mutant which produced a very low amount of biofilm and was sensitive to antimicrobial agents significantly resisted those agents when grown in biofilm inducing condition.

Conclusions/Significance

The possible drug resistance mechanism of biofilm mutants and other isolates is not by having biofilm but rather from some factors that up-regulated when biofilm formation genes were stimulated. The understanding of genes related to this situation may lead us to prevent B. pseudomallei biofilms leading to the relapse of melioidosis.     

A horizontal gene transfer event defines two distinct groups within Burkholderia pseudomallei that have dissimilar geographic distributions

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the etiologic agent of melioidosis. Many disease manifestations are associated with melioidosis, and the mechanisms causing this variation are unknown; genomic differences among strains offer one explanation. We compared the genome sequences of two strains of B. pseudomallei: the original reference strain K96243 from Thailand and strain MSHR305 from Australia. We identified a variable homologous region between the two strains. This region was previously identified in comparisons of the genome of B. pseudomallei strain K96243 with the genome of strain E264 from the closely related B. thailandensis. In that comparison, K96243 was shown to possess a horizontally acquired Yersinia-like fimbrial (YLF) gene cluster. Here, we show that the homologous genomic region in B. pseudomallei strain 305 is similar to that previously identified in B. thailandensis strain E264. We have named this region in B. pseudomallei strain 305 the B. thailandensis-like flagellum and chemotaxis (BTFC) gene cluster. We screened for these different genomic components across additional genome sequences and 571 B. pseudomallei DNA extracts obtained from regions of endemicity. These alternate genomic states define two distinct groups within B. pseudomallei: all strains contained either the BTFC gene cluster (group BTFC) or the YLF gene cluster (group YLF). These two groups have distinct geographic distributions: group BTFC is dominant in Australia, and group YLF is dominant in Thailand and elsewhere. In addition, clinical isolates are more likely to belong to group YLF, whereas environmental isolates are more likely to belong to group BTFC. These groups should be further characterized in an animal model.