Suppression-subtractive hybridisation reveals variations in gene distribution amongst the Burkholderia cepacia complex, including the presence in some strains of a genomic island containing putative polysaccharide production genes

• Published in: Archives of microbiology Vol. 179; no. 3; pp. 214 - 223
• Main Authors: Parsons, Yasmin N, Banasko, Rebecca, Detsika, Maria G, Duangsonk, Kwanjit, Rainbow, Lucille, Hart, C. Anthony, Winstanley, Craig
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.03.2003; Berlin Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Bacteriology; Base Sequence; Biological and medical sciences; Burkholderia cepacia; Burkholderia cepacia - genetics; Burkholderia cepacia - metabolism; Burkholderia Infections - complications; Burkholderia Infections - microbiology; Burkholderia mallei; Burkholderia multivorans; Burkholderia stabilis; Burkholderia vietnamiensis; clones; Cloning; Cystic fibrosis; Cystic Fibrosis - complications; DNA Primers - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gene Expression; gene transfer; Genes; Genes, Bacterial; Genomes; genomic islands; Genomics; Humans; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Multigene Family; nucleotide sequences; Opportunistic Infections - complications; Opportunistic Infections - microbiology; Pathogens; Patients; polysaccharides; Polysaccharides, Bacterial - biosynthesis; Polysaccharides, Bacterial - genetics; sequence homology; United Kingdom > UK; Brazil; United States > US; Subtraction hybridisation; Genomics; Suppression; Identification; Microorganism capsule; Gene; Burkholderia cepacia; Bacteria; Pancreatic disease; Epidemic; Human; Gene cluster; Nucleotide sequence; Respiratory disease; Metabolic diseases; Cystic fibrosis; Capsule; Genetic disease; Strain; Genetic transfer; Infection; Bacteriosis; Digestive diseases; Burkholderia mallei; Detection; Polysaccharide
• ISSN: 0302-8933; 1432-072X
• DOI: 10.1007/s00203-003-0518-7

Some strains of the Burkholderia cepacia complex, including the ET12 lineage, have been implicated in epidemic spread amongst cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Suppression-subtractive hybridisation was used to identify genomic regions within strain J2315 (ET12 lineage; genomovar IIIA) that were absent from a non-transmissible genomovar IIIB strain. Sequence data from 15 subtracted clones were used to interrogate the genome sequence of strain J2315 and identify genomic regions incorporating the subtracted sequences. Many of the genomic regions displayed abnormally low GC content and similarity to sequences implicated in gene transfer. The distribution of three subtracted regions amongst members of the B. cepacia complex varied. A large cluster of genes with strong sequence similarity to capsular production genes from Burkholderia mallei and other bacterial pathogens was identified. This genomic island was detected in some but not all representatives of genomovar IIIA, two out of four genomovar I strains, and one of two strains of Burkholderia multivorans, but was not detected in Burkholderia stabilis, Burkholderia vietnamiensis, genomovar VI or Burkholderia. ambifaria. The polysaccharide production gene cluster of strain J2315 carries an IS407-like sequence within the gene similar to B. mallei wcbO that is lacking in other ET12 isolates. Genes from this cluster are expressed during exponential growth in broth.