Molecular Insights into Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei Pathogenesis

Abstract

Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei are closely related gram-negative bacteria that can cause serious diseases in humans and animals. This review summarizes the current and rapidly expanding knowledge on the specific virulence factors employed by these pathogens and their roles in the pathogenesis of melioidosis and glanders. In particular, the contributions of recently identified virulence factors are described in the context of the intracellular lifestyle of these pathogens. Throughout this review, unique and shared virulence features of B. pseudomallei and B. mallei are discussed.

Growth Inhibition of Pathogenic Bacteria by Sulfonylurea Herbicides

“…MIC assays using SHs were carried out in chemically defined media lacking BCAAs to test B. pseudomallei (20,24), the opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen P. aeruginosa (25), and the avirulent soil-resident bacterium Burkholderia thailandensis (26). Chlorimuron ethyl and metsulfuron methyl were consistently the most effective SH tested (Table 2).…”

Dissection of the Burkholderia intracellular life cycle using a photothermal nanoblade

“…T he robust Gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is endemic to warm, fecund soils of tropical regions (1,2). Infections acquired from the environment can lead to melioidosis, a serious and sometimes fatal human disease.…”

“…Burkholderia mallei (Bm) is a clonal descendant of Bp that has undergone genome decay and has lost the capacity for environmental survival. Bm is the agent of equine glanders and it can also cause fatal human infections (2). Resistance to antibiotics and their low infectious dose have led to the classification of Bp and Bm as biowarfare threats.…”

“…Following aerosol challenge of mice, Bt causes fulminant, lethal infections that are dependent on virulence determinants shared with Bp and Bm (2, 6). Bp, Bt, and Bm invade and replicate in a wide range of cell types and exhibit nearly identical intracellular life cycles (1,2). Following invasion and escape from endosomes, replication in the cytoplasm is accompanied by actin-based motility and cell-cell spread, analogous to Shigella flexneri and Listeria monocytogenes (7)(8)(9).…”

“…An unusual feature of infection is the induction of cell fusion and the formation of multinucleate giant cells (MNGCs) (10). For Bp and Bm this requires BimA and has been observed with multiple cell types in vitro and in tissues from patients with melioidosis (2).…”