Burkholderia bacteria are multifaceted organisms that are ecologically and metabolically diverse. The Burkholderia genus has gained prominence because it includes human pathogens; however, many strains are nonpathogenic and have desirable characteristics such as beneficial plant associations and degradation of pollutants. The diversity of the Burkholderia genus is reflected within the large genomes that feature multiple replicons. Burkholderia genomes encode a plethora

Burkholderia bacteria are an emerging source of natural products with applications in agriculture and medicine. Heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters can streamline natural product discovery. However, production yields with the commonly used Escherichia coli host are usually low. Following the current paradigm that one host does not fit all, we aim to develop a Burkholderia host in order to ultimately tap into the biosynthetic potential of Burkholderia genomes, which can contain up to 27 biosynthetic gene clusters per genome. Because close phylogenetic relationship is expected to improve odds of success due to compatible gene expression and precursor supply, we tested Burkholderia sp. FERM BP-3421, a non-pathogenic isolate previously used to produce natural products at industrial scale. We show here that FERM BP-3421 can produce the model lasso peptide capistruin in yields that are at least 65-fold, and up to 580-fold higher than the previously used E. coli host.

Although swarming motility and biofilms are opposed collective behaviors, both contribute to bacterial survival and host colonization. Pseudovibrio bacteria have attracted attention because they are part of the microbiome of healthy marine sponges. Two‐thirds of Pseudovibrio genomes contain a member of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase‐polyketide synthase gene cluster family, which is also found sporadically in Pseudomonas pathogens of insects and plants. After developing reverse genetics for Pseudovibrio, we isolated heptapeptides with an ureido linkage and related nonadepsipeptides we termed pseudovibriamides A and B, respectively. A combination of genetics and imaging mass spectrometry experiments showed heptapetides were excreted, promoting motility and reducing biofilm formation. In contrast to lipopeptides widely known to affect motility/biofilms, pseudovibriamides are not surfactants. Our results expand current knowledge on metabolites mediating bacterial collective behavior.

A protected pentacene precursor is functionalized in the 6‐ and 13‐positions with alkyne groups and subsequently derivatized by a copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction. Aromatization then gives the desired pentacene derivatives. This method offers an expedient route to a range of bench‐top stable, pentacene, and oligopentacene based chromophores, all derived from a single building block. These new pentacene derivatives are characterized by NMR, IR, and UV‐Vis spectroscopies. X‐ray crystallographic data for two derivatives is used to evaluate the prospect of electronic communication in the solid state via π‐stacking interactions.

Collective behavior is a common feature of life. Although swarming motility and biofilms are opposed collective behaviors, both contribute to bacterial survival and host colonization. We have identified a link between motility/biofilms and a nonribosomal peptide synthetase-polyketide synthase gene cluster family (ppp) conserved in Pseudovibrio and Pseudomonas Proteobacteria known to interact with diverse eukaryotes. After developing reverse genetics for Pseudovibrio, we discovered two pseudovibriamide families, heptapeptides with a reversal in chain polarity via an ureido linkage 1-6 and related nonadepsipeptides 7-12. Imaging mass spectrometry showed that 1 was excreted whereas 7 was colony-associated. Deletion of pppA abolished production of 1-12 leading to reduced motility and increased biofilm production. pppD mutants that produced only 1-6 showed motility comparable to the wild-type and reduced biofilm formation, indicating that the excreted heptapeptides play a role in promoting motility. In contrast to lipopeptides widely known to affect swarming and biofilms, pseudovibriamides are not surfactants. Our results expand current knowledge on metabolites mediating bacterial collective behavior. Moreover, the establishment of reverse genetics will enable future exploration of the ecological and biotechnological potential of Pseudovibrio bacteria which have been proposed to contribute to marine sponge health.