Abstract
Members of the Burkholderia family occupy diverse ecological niches. In pathogenic family members, glycan-associated proteins are often linked to functions that include virulence, protein conformation maintenance, surface recognition, cell adhesion, and immune system evasion. Comparative analysis of available Burkholderia genomes has revealed a core set of 178 glycan-associated proteins shared by all Burkholderia of which 68 are homologous to known essential genes. The genome sequence comparisons revealed insights into species-specific gene acquisitions through gene transfers, identified an S-layer protein, and proposed that significantly reactive surface proteins are associated to sugar moieties as a potential means to circumvent host defense mechanisms. The comparative analysis using a curated database of search queries enabled us to gain insights into the extent of conservation and diversity, as well as the possible virulence-associated roles of glycan-associated proteins in members of the Burkholderia spp. The curated list of glycan-associated proteins used can also be directed to screen other genomes for glycan-associated homologs.
Highlights
Members of the genus Burkholderia, with over 30 known species, have a unique ability to occupy diverse ecological niches, ranging from soil to the human respiratory tract [1]
Further investigation into the regions of the missing sequences relative to the B. pseudomallei glycanassociated gene clusters showed the presence of transposable genetic elements (Table 1)
Transposable genetic elements are known to contribute to bacterial genome variability by causing transposition events [58]
Summary
Members of the genus Burkholderia, with over 30 known species, have a unique ability to occupy diverse ecological niches, ranging from soil to the human respiratory tract [1]. B. pseudomallei, a soil dwelling member of the Burkholderia genus is the causative agent for melioidosis and is capable of existing as a latent infection for decades with the longest period reported being 62 years [5]. Prior to the discovery of an RNA helicase inhibitor toxin [6], the pathogenicity and virulence factors associated to B. pseudomallei have been elusive and many reports were inconclusive. Despite this significant progress, much remains to be discovered regarding the virulence of
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