Structural flexibility in the Burkholderia mallei genome

Abstract

The complete genome sequence of Burkholderia mallei ATCC 23344 provides insight into this highly infectious bacterium's pathogenicity and evolutionary history. B. mallei, the etiologic agent of glanders, has come under renewed scientific investigation as a result of recent concerns about its past and potential future use as a biological weapon. Genome analysis identified a number of putative virulence factors whose function was supported by comparative genome hybridization and expression profiling of the bacterium in hamster liver in vivo. The genome contains numerous insertion sequence elements that have mediated extensive deletions and rearrangements of the genome relative to Burkholderia pseudomallei. The genome also contains a vast number (>12,000) of simple sequence repeats. Variation in simple sequence repeats in key genes can provide a mechanism for generating antigenic variation that may account for the mammalian host's inability to mount a durable adaptive immune response to a B. mallei infection.

Genome sequence of the bioplastic-producing “Knallgas” bacterium Ralstonia eutropha H16

“…The genomes of the other sequenced members of the family Burkholderiaceae range between 5.8 and 8.6 Mbp [23][24][25] . Comparisons of the genomes of R. eutropha H16 and its close relatives reveal some important organizational similarities.…”

Genomic sequence of the pathogenic and allergenic filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus

“…The genome of A. fumigatus Af293 was sequenced and assembled using the random shotgun method. Closure (finishing) was accomplished by directed sequencing and manual editing of the genome sequence 9 . Sequencing and assembly statistics are provided in Supplementary Methods.…”

“…The genome of A. fumigatus Af293 was sequenced by the wholegenome random sequencing method 9 augmented by optical mapping 10 . Genome closure and quality standard attainment was accomplished by directed sequencing and manual editing.…”

Characterization of two distinct phospholipase C enzymes from Burkholderia pseudomallei

“…Plc-1 and Plc-2 arẽ 47 % identical and~60 % similar to the PlcN of P. aeruginosa and both are 42 % identical and 54 % similar to the PlcH of that organism. Most notably, the sequence of Plc-1 is nearly identical (a single amino acid difference: arginine changed to glutamine) to one (BMA0584) of the two Burkholderia mallei (Nierman et al, 2004) predicted PLCs, and the B. pseudomallei Plc-3 is completely identical to the other PLC encoded in the B. mallei genome (BMAA 0079). These data would suggest that B. mallei has lost, or never acquired, the plc-2 gene but has retained plc-1 and plc-3 of B. pseudomallei.…”