Genomic Acquisition of Virulence Factors in Natural Isolates of Burkholderia

ABSTRACT: An important, but rarely performed, test of Koch’s molecular postulates involves evaluating the capacity of candidate virulence genes to confer pathogenicity in otherwise non-virulent species. Unbiased genomic surveys of avirulent natural isolates might reveal rare variants possessing specific virulence features, which might prove useful in testing their functional sufficiency. Using a custom pan-genome array, we analyzed a panel of avirulent Burkholderia thailandensis (Bt) isolates related to Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp), the causative agent of the often fatal human and animal disease melioidosis. We report the discovery of variant Bt isolates exhibiting isolated acquisition of a capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster (BpCPS), long regarded as an critical species-specific vir

ORGANISM(S): Burkholderia thailandensis

SUBMITTER: BERNICE SIM 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-18766 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress