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Published on: October 15, 2013
Construction and characterization of a Burkholderia pseudomallei wzm deletion mutant
Chee-Wah Yuen1, Eugene Boon Beng Ong, Suriani Mohamad
1School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia.
Abstract:
In Burkholderia pseudomallei, the pathogen that causes melioidosis, the gene cluster encoding the capsular polysaccharide, is located on chromosome 1. Among the 19 capsular genes in this cluster, wzm has not been thoroughly studied. To study the function of wzm, we generated a deletion mutant and compared it with the wild-type strain. The mutant produced less biofilm in minimal media and was more sensitive to desiccation and oxidative stress compared with the wild-type strain, indicating that wzm is involved in biofilm formation and membrane integrity. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the bacterial cells of the mutant strain have more defined surfaces with indentations, whereas cells of the wild-type strain do not.
Insights
The wzm gene in Burkholderia pseudomallei is crucial for biofilm formation and maintaining cell integrity. Deleting wzm reduces biofilm production and increases susceptibility to environmental stresses.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Burkholderia pseudomallei causes melioidosis, a significant infectious disease.
- The capsular polysaccharide gene cluster in B. pseudomallei is located on chromosome 1.
- The specific function of the wzm gene within this cluster remains largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the functional role of the wzm gene in Burkholderia pseudomallei.
- To understand wzm's contribution to bacterial physiology and virulence.
Main Methods:
- Generation of a wzm deletion mutant strain.
- Comparative analysis of the mutant and wild-type strains.
- Assessment of biofilm formation under minimal media conditions.
- Evaluation of susceptibility to desiccation and oxidative stress.
- Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for cell surface morphology analysis.
Main Results:
- The wzm deletion mutant exhibited reduced biofilm formation compared to the wild-type strain.
- The mutant strain showed increased sensitivity to desiccation and oxidative stress.
- SEM revealed distinct surface indentations on the mutant bacterial cells, absent in wild-type cells.
- These findings suggest wzm's involvement in biofilm development and membrane integrity.
Conclusions:
- The wzm gene plays a significant role in Burkholderia pseudomallei biofilm formation.
- wzm is essential for maintaining bacterial membrane integrity and resistance to environmental stressors.
- Further research into wzm function could reveal novel therapeutic targets for melioidosis.
