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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Mass Spectrometry-Guided Genome Mining as a Tool to Uncover Novel Natural Products
Published on: March 12, 2020
Burkholderia as a Source of Natural Products
Sylvia Kunakom1, Alessandra S Eustáquio1
1Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy and Center for Biomolecular Sciences, College of Pharmacy , University of Illinois at Chicago , Chicago , Illinois 60607 , United States.
Abstract:
Burkholderia bacteria are multifaceted organisms that are ecologically and metabolically diverse. The Burkholderia genus has gained prominence because it includes human pathogens; however, many strains are nonpathogenic and have desirable characteristics such as beneficial plant associations and degradation of pollutants. The diversity of the Burkholderia genus is reflected within the large genomes that feature multiple replicons. Burkholderia genomes encode a plethora of natural products with potential therapeutic relevance and biotechnological applications. This review highlights Burkholderia as an emerging source of natural products. An overview of the taxonomy of the Burkholderia genus, which is currently being revised, is provided. We then present a curated compilation of natural products isolated from Burkholderia sensu lato and analyze their characteristics in terms of biosynthetic class, discovery method, and bioactivity. Finally, we describe and discuss genome characteristics and highlight the biosynthesis of a select number of natural products that are encoded in unusual biosynthetic gene clusters. The availability of >1000 Burkholderia genomes in public databases provides an opportunity to realize the genetic potential of this underexplored taxon for natural product discovery.
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