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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
Using Luciferase to Image Bacterial Infections in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2011
Construction of Luminescence- and Fluorescence-Tagged Burkholderia pseudomallei for Pathogen Tracking in a Mouse
Yong-Woo Shin1,2, Deok Bum Park1, Myung-Min Choi1
1Division of High-Risk Pathogens, Center for Laboratory Control of Infectious Diseases, Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju 28159, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
Molecular imaging is a powerful method for tracking various infectious disease-causing pathogens in host organisms. Currently, a dual molecular imaging method that can provide temporal and spatial information on infected hosts at the organism, organ, tissue, and cellular levels simultaneously has not been reported for Burkholderia pseudomallei, a high-risk pathogen that causes melioidosis. In this study, we have established an experimental method that provides spatiotemporal information on infected hosts using luminescent and fluorescent dual-labeled B. pseudomallei. Using this method, we visualized B. pseudomallei infection at the organism, organ, and tissue levels in a BALB/c mouse model by detecting its luminescence and fluorescence. The infection of B. pseudomallei at the cellular level was also visualized by its emitted fluorescence in infected macrophage cells. This method could be an extremely useful and applicable tool to study the pathogenesis of B. pseudomallei-related infectious diseases.
Insights
Researchers developed a dual molecular imaging technique to track Burkholderia pseudomallei (a cause of melioidosis) in real-time. This method visualizes bacterial infection across organism, organ, tissue, and cellular levels, aiding infectious disease research.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Biomedical Imaging
Background:
- Molecular imaging is crucial for tracking pathogens in hosts.
- A simultaneous multi-level imaging method for Burkholderia pseudomallei (melioidosis pathogen) was lacking.
- Understanding B. pseudomallei infection dynamics is vital due to its high-risk nature.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a novel dual molecular imaging method for B. pseudomallei.
- To provide simultaneous spatiotemporal information at organism, organ, tissue, and cellular levels.
- To enable detailed study of melioidosis pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Development of luminescent and fluorescent dual-labeled B. pseudomallei.
- Application of dual imaging in a BALB/c mouse model.
- Visualization of bacterial distribution and infection spread using luminescence and fluorescence detection.
Main Results:
- Successful visualization of B. pseudomallei infection across organism, organ, and tissue levels in vivo.
- Demonstration of cellular-level infection tracking in macrophage cells via fluorescence.
- Validation of the dual-labeling strategy for spatiotemporal infection monitoring.
Conclusions:
- A novel dual molecular imaging technique for B. pseudomallei has been successfully established.
- This method offers unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution for studying melioidosis.
- The technique is a valuable tool for advancing research into B. pseudomallei pathogenesis and infectious diseases.
