Genome Changes in Burkholderia mallei During Host Passage
Author Information
Author(s): Claudia M Romero, David DeShazer, Tamara Feldblyum, Jacques Ravel, Donald Woods, H Stanley Kim, Yan Yu, Catherine M Ronning, William C Nierman
Primary Institution: The Institute for Genomic Research
Hypothesis
Does the genome of Burkholderia mallei undergo alterations when passed through different hosts?
Conclusion
The study found that Burkholderia mallei exhibits significant genome variability upon passage through different hosts.
Supporting Evidence
- Forty-nine insertions and deletions were detected at SSRs in the five passaged strains.
- 67.3% of the detected alterations were located within noncoding areas.
- Expression profiling revealed alterations in the mRNA levels of multiple genes in human passaged isolates.
Takeaway
When Burkholderia mallei moves from one host to another, it changes its DNA a lot, which might help it survive better.
Methodology
The genomes of various single-colony passaged B. mallei isolates were sequenced and compared to the published genome sequence.
Limitations
The study primarily focused on a limited number of isolates and may not represent all strains of B. mallei.
Participant Demographics
Isolates included samples from culture, mouse, horse, and two human patients.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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