Infección de piel y tejidos blandos por Burkholderia stabilis en un niño con quemaduras graves / Skin and soft tissue infection due to Burkholderia stabilis in a severely burned child

Resumen Las heridas por quemadura representan un grave problema, sobre todo en la población pediátrica, dada la severidad de su presentación y la morbimortalidad asociada. La infección es la complicación más frecuente y grave en el paciente quemado. Las bacterias que conforman el complejo Burkholderia cepacia (CBc) son capaces de causar enfermedades en plantas, humanos y animales. En el hombre pueden establecer infecciones crónicas y frecuentemente graves, por lo general en pacientes con fibrosis quística y en inmunocomprometidos. El CBc está compuesto por al menos 22 especies filogenéticamente muy relacionadas. El objetivo de esta publicación fue describir el primer caso de una infección de piel y partes blandas por Burkholderia stabilis, una especie poco frecuente, en un niño con grandes quemaduras en la Argentina. Las especies del CBc son intrínsecamente resistentes a la mayoría de los antimicrobianos disponibles clínicamente, como aminoglucósidos, quinolonas, polimixinas y β-lactámicos. Esto representa un serio problema en el momento de tratar las infecciones por las escasas opciones terapéuticas.

Abstract Burn wounds represent a serious problem, especially in the pediatric population, given the severity of their presentation and the associated morbidity and mortality. Infection is the most frequent and serious complication in the burned patient. Burkholderia cepacia (CBc) complex bacteria are capable of causing disease in plants, humans, and animals. In human beings they can establish chronic and frequently serious infections, generally in patients with cystic fibrosis and in immunocompromised patients. The CBc is composed of 22 phylogenetically closely related species. The objective of this publication was to describe the first report of a skin and soft tissue infection by Burkholderia stabilis, a rare species, in a child with extensive burns in Argentina. CBc species are inherently resistant to most clinically available antimicrobials, such as aminoglycosides, quinolones, polymyxins, and β-lactams. This represents a serious problem when treating infections, due to the limited therapeutic options.

Resumo As feridas por queimadura representam um grave problema, principalmente na população pediátrica, devido à gravidade de sua apresentação e morbimortalidade associada. A infecção é a complicação mais frequente e grave do paciente queimado. As bactérias que compõem o complexo Burkholderia cepacia (CBc) são capazes de causar doenças em plantas, humanos e animais. No homem, podem estabelecer infecções crônicas e freqüentemente graves, geralmente em pacientes com fibrose cística e imunocomprometidos. O CBc é composto, no mínimo, por 22 espécies filogeneticamente muito relacionadas. O objetivo desta publicação é descrever o primeiro caso de uma infecção de pele e tecidos moles por Burkholderia stabilis, uma espécie rara, em uma criança com queimaduras extensas na Argentina. As espécies do CBc são inerentemente resistentes à maioria dos antimicrobianos disponíveis clinicamente, como aminoglicosídeos, quinolonas, polimixinas e β-lactâmicos. Isso representa um problema sério na hora de tratar as infecções devido às opções terapêuticas limitadas.

Partial characterization of bacteriocin-like compound (BLIS) produced by Burkholderia stagnalis strain K23/3 against Burkholderia pseudomallei

Aims@#Burkholderia pseudomallei, the human pathogen that causes melioidosis, is intrinsically resistant towards a wide range of antibiotics and there have been reports of acquired resistance towards antibiotics used for melioidosis treatments. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) such as bacteriocins are gaining the interests of researchers as alternative for treating infections caused by multidrug resistant bacteria. In this study, we aimed to identify Burkholderia spp. isolated from soil in Sarawak that possess the potential in inhibiting the growth of B. pseudomallei and to further characterize the antagonistic compound produced.@*Methodology and results@#A total of 50 Burkholderia spp. isolates of environmental origin and two isolates of Ralstonia solanacearum were screened against five clinical isolates of B. pseudomallei using spot-on-lawn assay and flip streak method. Burkholderia stagnalis isolate K23/3 showed clear zones of inhibition (ZOI) in both preliminary tests. Cell-free supernatant (CFS) was obtained from B. stagnalis K23/3 broth culture and was tested via agar well diffusion assay (AWDA). The antagonistic compound secreted at the early log phase of the bacterial growth was shown to be stable in a wide range of temperatures and pH. Treatment with different enzymes revealed that it was sensitive towards proteinase K, suggesting that it is proteinaceous. The bacteriocin-like-substance (BLIS) was subjected to ammonium sulfate precipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The SDS-PAGE gel was overlaid with indicator B. pseudomallei isolates where the active protein was shown to be less than 7.1 kDa.@*Conclusion, significance and impact of study@#Burkholderia stagnalis isolate K23/3 was able to secrete bacteriocin-like-substance (BLIS) that has the potential in biocontrol of B. pseudomallei in the environment or as potential treatment for melioidosis.

Caracterización genética de bacterias endofíticas de arroz (Oryza sativa L.) con actividad antimicrobiana contra Burkholderia glumae / Genetic characterization of rice endophytic bacteria (Oryza sativa L.) with antimicrobial activity against Burkholderia glumae

Resumen La demanda de xilanasas fúngicas en los procesos biotecnológicos industriales muestra un claro aumento en todo el mundo, por lo que hay un interés en ajustar las condicionesde producción de xilanasas microbianas. En este estudio se optimizó la capacidad del hongoFusarium solani para producir xilanasas extracelulares con escasa actividad celulolítica medi-ante el dise˜no de Box-Wilson. Se determinaron las mejores condiciones de cultivo para obteneruna preparación enzimática cruda con una actividad xilanolítica significativa y poca actividad celulolítica. En la mayoría de los tratamientos, la actividad xilanolítica fue mayor que laactividad celulolítica. Se observó un efecto negativo sobre la producción de endoxilanasas, xilosidasas y endocelulasas con el aumento de la concentración de xilano. El aumento del tiempode incubación afectó adversamente la producción de endocelulasas y xilosidasas. De acuerdocon el modelo matemático y las pruebas experimentales, es posible producir endoxilanasas conuna actividad endocelulasa mínima aumentando el tiempo de incubación y la concentración desulfato de amonio. Las condiciones de cultivo óptimas para producir una mayor cantidad deendoxilanasas (10,65 U/mg) y mínima cantidad de endocelulasas fueron 2,5% (p/v) de xilano y5, 2 y 0,4 g/l de extracto de levadura, sulfato de amonio y urea, respectivamente, con 120 hde incubación.

Abstract The aim of the present study was to isolate, select and characterize endophytic bacteria in rice inhibiting Burkholderia glumae THT as well as to characterize the genetic diversity and virulence factors in strains of B. glumae and Burkholderia gladioli of rice. Rice plants were collected in 4 departments from the northern region of Peru, isolating endophytic bacteria, aftertissue sterilization, at 30°C (48 h) in Trypticase SoyAgar (TSA), evaluating the antimicrobial activity against B. glumae THT, production of siderophores, resistance of toxoflavine and partial sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Furthermore, B. glumae and B. gladioli were isola-ted in selective medium (pH 4.5) at 41 °C/72h. Molecular identification was performed using BOX-PCR and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, in addition to the production of extracellular enzymes, motility tests and sensitivity/resistance to bactericides. One hundred and eighty nine (189) endophytic bacteria were isolated, and only 9 strains showed antimicrobial activity against B. glumae THT, highlighting Burkholderia vietnamiensis TUR04-01, B. vietnamiensis TUR04-03 and Bacillus aryabhattai AMH12-02. The strains produced siderophores and at least 55.5% were resistant to toxoflavin. Additionally, 17 strains were grouped into 9 BOX-PCR profiles, where 16 had similarity with B. glumae LMG2196T (100%) and 1 with B. gladioli NBRC 13700T (99.86%). High diversity was found according to geographical origin and virulence factors. In conclusion, strains of the genus Bacillus and Burkholderia are potential biocontrol agents against B. glumae.

Burkholderia cepacia complex: 11 years of surveillance in patients with Cystic Fibrosis in Posadas, Argentina

Abstract Cystic fibrosis patients with Burkholderia cepacia complex pulmonary infections have high morbidity and mortality. Worldwide, this disease is undergoing substantial epidemiological changes. Advances in the diagnosis and treatment have conditioned an increase in child sur-vival as well as in the proportion of affected adults. In order to know our reality, we refer to an epidemiological study in 64 CF patients during 11 years of surveillance, focusing on infections caused by Burkholderia species. Conventional and automated phenotypic tests, restriction fragment length polymorphism-recA, recA gene sequencing, and matrix-assisted laser desorp-tion ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry were applied. Bacterial isolates were also tested for antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. The prevalence of Burkholderia cepacia complex was 9.4%. Based on recA gene sequencing, the most common species identified were Burkholderia cenocepacia (67.3%) and Burkholderia vietnamiensis (20.3%). Ceftazidime and meropenem were the most active, inhibiting 53% and 46% of isolates, respectively. This report represents the first systematic study of Burkholderia infections in our CF population since beginning of monitoring and treatment and highlights the importance of continued longitudinal studies.

Resumen Los pacientes con fibrosis quística (FQ) con infecciones pulmonares causadas por especies del complejo Burkholderia cepacia tienen una alta morbimortalidad. En todo el mundo, esta enfermedad está experimentando cambios epidemiológicos sustanciales. Los avances en el diagnóstico y el tratamiento han condicionado un aumento en la supervivencia infantil, así como en la proporción de adultos afectados. Para conocer nuestra realidad, nos referimos a un estudio epidemiológico en 64 pacientes con FQ durante 11 años de vigilancia, focalizando las infecciones causadas por especies del género Burkholderia. Se aplicaron pruebas fenotípicas convencionales y automatizadas, polimorfismo de longitud de fragmentos de restricción-recA, secuenciación del gen recA y espectrometría de masa MALDI-TOF. Los aislados bacterianos también se analizaron para determinar los patrones de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana. La prevalencia de complejo B. cepacia fue del 9,4%. Con base en la secuenciación del gen recA, las especies más comunes identificadas fueron Burkholderia cenocepacia (67,3%) y Burkholderia vietnamiensis (20,3%). Ceftazidima y meropenem fueron los antibióticos más activos e inhibieron el 53 y el 46% de los aislamientos, respectivamente. Este informe representa el primer estudio sistemático de las infecciones por Burkholderia en nuestra población desde el comienzo de la monitorización y el tratamiento, y resalta la importancia de continuar los estudios de vigilancia longitudinales.

Multiple Effect of Different Plant Growth Promoting Microorganisms on Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ) Crop

Abstract We evaluated the effect of combined Rhizobium tropici, Trichoderma asperellum and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in beans crop. The hypothesis that strains of T. asperullum, R. tropici and PGPR combined could improve growth, biomass accumulation and beans yield was tested under greenhouse and field conditions. The treatments consisted of control, mineral nitrogen application and inoculation, isolated and associated with the following microorganisms: Rhizobium tropici, Bacillus subtilis, Trichoderma asperellum and Burkholderia sp. 10N6. Results were evaluated by shoot dry weight (SDW) and root dry weight (RDW), number of nodules and yield components. In greenhouse environment all the microorganisms behaved similarly, and the treatments inoculated with Burkholderia sp. 10N6 (IBu) and R. tropici (IR) stood out regarding the production components. In field conditions the treatments IR and IRTBa presented the highest values of SDW and RDW. Our results suggest that inoculation with R. tropici, T. asperellum and PGPR may promote beans growth and bring benefits to shoot and root accumulation, increase the number of nodules as well as improve yield components, contributing to a sustainable agriculture.

Desarrollo y evaluación de una base de datos in house para la identificación rápida de Burkholderia contaminons por EM MALDI-TOF / Development and evaluation of an in-house database for quick identification of Burkholderia contaminans by MALDI-TOF MS

La espectrometría de masas (EM) (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight) MALDI-TOF demostró ser una herramienta robusta para la identificación de numerosos grupos taxonómicos. No obstante, presenta limitaciones. Una ventaja clave de la técnica es la flexibilidad para la incorporación de espectros proteicos de microorganismos ausentes en la base de datos comercial. Dada la prevalencia de Burkholderia contaminans en los pacientes fibroquísticos en Argentina, y a que en ellos es crucial el diagnóstico microbiológico rápido y confiable, la EM MALDI-TOF surge como una herramienta estratégica. El objetivo del trabajo fue desarrollar una base de datos adicional con espectros peptídicos de aislamientos de referencia de B. contaminans. La misma demostró ser exitosa para la identificación del 97% de los aislamientos analizados. Por lo cual la EM MALDI-TOF con la base de datos extendida resultó ser una herramienta útil para la identificación y diferenciación de otras especies relacionadas a B. contaminans.

MALDI-TOF (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight) mass spectrometry (MS) proved to be a robust tool for the identification of numerous taxonomic groups. However, it has limitations. A key advantage of this technique is the flexibility for the incorporation of protein profiles of microorganisms not included in the commercial database. Due to the prevalence of Burkholderia contaminans in fibrocystic patients in Argentina and the fact that rapid and reliable microbiological diagnosis is crucial in them, MALDI-TOF MS emerges as a strategic tool. The aim of this work was to develop an additional database with peptide spectra of reference isolates of B. contaminans. This database demonstrated to be successful for the identification of 97% of the isolates analyzed. Therefore, MALDI-TOF MS with the extended database was a useful tool for the identification and differentiation of other related species to B. contaminans.

Efficacy of Diphenyleneiodonium Chloride (DPIC) Against Diverse Plant Pathogens

Many of the fungicides and antibiotics currently available against plant pathogens are of limited use due to the emergence of resistant strains. In this study, we examined the effects of diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPIC), an inhibitor of the superoxide producing enzyme NADPH oxidase, against fungal and bacterial plant pathogens. We found that DPIC inhibits fungal spore germination and bacterial cell proliferation. In addition, we demonstrated the potent antibacterial activity of DPIC using rice heads infected with the bacterial pathogen Burkholderia glumae which causes bacterial panicle blight (BPB). We found that treatment with DPIC reduced BPB when applied during the initial flowering stage of the rice heads. These results suggest that DPIC could serve as a new and useful antimicrobial agent in agriculture.

Evaluation of resistance to natural poisoning by Amorimia septentrionalis in goats which had received sodium monofluoroacetate degrading bacteria / Avaliação da resistência à intoxicação natural por Amorimia septentrionalis em caprinos que receberam bactérias degradadoras de monofluoroacetato de sódio

Amorimia septentrionalis is an important sodium monofluoroacetate (MFA) containing plant that causes sudden death in ruminants in northeastern Brazil. MFA degrading bacteria are being used in the prevention against poisoning by this plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate if goats which had per os received MFA degrading bacteria remained resistant when exposed to natural poisoning by A. septentrionalis. Eighteen goats were randomly distributed into three groups: the goats of Group 1 previously received, during 40 days, a solution containing the bacteria Ralstonia sp. and Burkholderia sp., those goats in the Group 2 received the bacteria Paenibacillus sp. and Cupriavidus sp. and goats from Group 3 did not receive any bacteria. After the administration period, during 60 days, the animals of all groups were released to graze on a one hectare paddock, with significant amount of A. septentrionalis. They were observed daily for the spontaneous consumption of A. septentrionalis leaves and the occurrence of clinical signs of poisoning or sudden death. Goats from all groups consumed significant amounts of A. septentrionalis during the experimental period. Goats that did not receive MFA-degrading bacteria (Group 3) became sick and died from the 25th to the 27th day of the experiment, whereas the goats of the groups that received MFA-degrading bacteria showed only clinical sings when A. septentrionalis regrowth after the 55th day of the experiment. The days elapsed from field observation to death of Group 3 goats (25.5±0.9 days) were significantly lower (p<0.05) than Group 1 (58.6±1.3 days) and Group 2 (57.8±1.5 days). Thus, it can be concluded that administration of MFA degrading bacteria increases the resistance to natural poisoning by A. septentrionalis.(AU)

Amorimia septentrionalis que contém monofluoroacetato de sódio (MFA) é responsável pela ocorrência de mortes súbitas em ruminantes no nordeste do Brasil. Bactérias degradadoras desse composto estão sendo utilizadas na prevenção contra a intoxicação por essa planta. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se caprinos que receberam, via oral, bactérias degradadoras de MFA permaneciam resistentes quando expostos a intoxicação natural por A. septentrionalis. Dezoito caprinos foram divididos em três grupos, os caprinos do Grupo 1 receberam anteriormente, durante 40 dias, uma solução contendo as bactérias Ralstonia sp. e Burkholderia sp., os do Grupo 2 receberam, também por 40 dias as bactérias Paenibacillus sp. e Cupriavidus sp. e os do Grupo 3 não receberam nenhuma bactéria. Após o período de administração, durante 60 dias, os animais de todos os grupos foram soltos para pastar em um piquete de um hectare, que apresentava uma quantidade significativa da planta. Diariamente eles foram observados quanto ao consumo espontâneo das folhas de A. septentrionalis e quanto à presença de sinais clínicos de intoxicação ou morte. Os caprinos de todos os grupos consumiram quantidades significantes da planta durante o período experimental. Os caprinos que não receberam as bactérias degradantes de MFA (Grupo 3) adoeceram e morreram entre o 25º e o 27º dia de experimento, enquanto que os que receberam as bactérias degradantes de MFA (Grupo 1 e 2) só apresentaram sinais clínicos no 55º dia de experimento, o que coincidiu com a rebrota da planta. Os dias transcorridos desde a observação a campo até a morte dos caprinos do Grupo 3 (25,5±0,9 dias) foram significativamente menores (p<0,05) que os do Grupo 1 (58,6±1,3 dias) e do Grupo 2 (57,8±1,5 dias). Com isso pode-se concluir que a administração de bactérias degradadoras de MFA aumenta à resistência a intoxicação natural por A. septentrionalis.(AU)

Burkholderia species associated with legumes of Chiapas, Mexico, exhibit stress tolerance and growth in aromatic compounds / Especies de Burkholderia asociadas a leguminosas de Chiapas, México exhiben tolerancia a estrés y crecimiento en compuestos aromáticos

Leguminous plants have received special interest for the diversity of β-proteobacteria in their nodules and are promising candidates for biotechnological applications. In this study, 15 bacterial strains were isolated from the nodules of the following legumes: Indigofera thibaudiana, Mimosa diplotricha, Mimosa albida, Mimosa pigra, and Mimosa pudica, collected in 9 areas of Chiapas, Mexico. The strains were grouped into four profiles of genomic fingerprints through BOX-PCR and identified based on their morphology, API 20NE biochemical tests, sequencing of the 16S rRNA, nifH and nodC genes as bacteria of the Burkholderia genus, genetically related to Burkholderia phenoliruptrix, Burkholderia phymatum, Burkholderia sabiae, and Burkholderia tuberum. The Burkholderia strains were grown under stress conditions with 4% NaCl, 45°C, and benzene presence at 0.1% as the sole carbon source. This is the first report on the isolation of these nodulating species of the Burkholderia genus in legumes in Mexico.

Las plantas leguminosas han recibido especial interés por la diversidad de β-proteobacteria que albergan en sus nodulos; algunas de estas bacterias son candidatas prometedoras para aplicaciones biotecnológicas. En el presente trabajo se aislaron 15 cepas bacterianas de los nodulos de las leguminosas Indigofera thibaudiana, Mimosa diplotricha, Mimosa albida, Mimosa pigra y Mimosa púdica, colectadas en 9 áreas de Chiapas, México. Las cepas fueron agrupadas en 4 perfiles de huellas genómicas por BOX-PCR e identificadas sobre la base de su morfología, pruebas bioquímicas API 20NE y secuenciación de los genes 16S ARNr, nifH y nodC como bacterias del género Burkholderia relacionadas genéticamente con Burkholderia phenoliruptrix, Burkholderia phymatum, Burkholderia sabiae y Burkholderia tuberum. Las cepas de Burkholderia crecieron en condiciones de estrés con NaCl al 4%, a una temperatura de 45°C y en presencia de benceno al 0,1% como única fuente de carbono. Este es el primer reporte del aislamiento de especies de Burkholderia nodulantes en leguminosas en México.

Clinical Outcomes in Musculoskeletal Involvement of Burkholderia Pseudomallei Infection

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal involvement in melioidosis is often seen in conjunction with a disseminated illness. Recent reports suggest that operative management of musculoskeletal melioidosis has favourable results. The purpose of this study was to review the patient profile and clinical outcomes of Burkholderia pseudomallei infection in the musculoskeletal system. METHODS: Hospital records of 163 patients who were diagnosed to have B. pseudomallei infection between January 2009 and December 2014 were reviewed. Patients underwent surgical and nonsurgical management depending upon the tissue of involvement. Epidata software was used to record the data. The SPSS ver. 17.0 was used for analysis. RESULTS: Eighteen out of 24 patients who had musculoskeletal melioidosis were available for follow-up. Septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and intramuscular abscess were the common diagnosis, with 6 patients in each group. Twelve patients required surgical intervention. All patients received a full course of parenteral ceftazidime followed by oral doxycycline and co-trimoxazole. Two out of 6 patients (33.3%) died among those who had nonsurgical management as compared to none in the group who had surgical management. This was significant at 10% level of significance (p = 0.098). The rest were followed up for a minimum of 1 year with no evidence of disease recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This series describing musculoskeletal involvement in melioidosis is the largest such study from a recently recognized ‘endemic’ region. Of importance are the patterns of musculoskeletal involvement, pitfalls in diagnosis and adequate clinical response with timely diagnosis and appropriate surgical management.

Diversity and capacity to promote maize growth of bacteria isolated from the Amazon region / Diversidade e capacidade de promoção de crescimento de milho de bactérias isoladas da região Amazônica

Maize plants can establish beneficial associations with plant growth-promoting bacteria. However, few studies have been conducted on the characterization and inoculation of these bacteria in the Amazon region. This study aimed to characterize endophytic bacteria isolated from maize in the Amazon region and to assess their capacity to promote plant growth. Fifty-five bacterial isolates were obtained from maize grown in two types of ecosystems, i.e., a cerrado (savanna) and a forest area. The isolates were characterized by the presence of the nifH gene, their ability to synthesize indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and solubilize calcium phosphate (CaHPO4), and 16S rRNA partial gene sequencing. Twenty-four bacteria contained the nifH gene, of which seven were isolated from maize plants cultivated in a cerrado area and seventeen from a forest area. Fourteen samples showed the capacity to synthesize IAA and only four solubilized calcium phosphate. The following genera were found among these isolates: Pseudomonas; Acinetobacter; Enterobacter; Pantoea; Burkholderia and Bacillus. In addition, eight isolates with plant growth-promoting capacity were selected for a glasshouse experiment involving the inoculation of two maize genotypes (a hybrid and a variety) grown in pots containing soil. Inoculation promoted the development of the maize plants but no significant interaction between maize cultivar and bacterial inoculation was found. A high diversity of endophytic bacteria is present in the Amazon region and these bacteria have potential to promote the development of maize plants.

Plantas de milho podem estabelecer associações benéficas com bactérias promotoras do crescimento vegetal. No entanto, poucos estudos de caracterização e inoculação com essas bactérias foram realizados na região Amazônica. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar bactérias endofíticas isoladas de milho na região Amazônica e avaliar sua capacidade de promover o crescimento. Cinquenta e cinco isolados bacterianos foram obtidos de plantas de milho cultivadas em diferentes tipos de ecossistemas, cerrado (savana) e área de floresta. Estes foram caracterizados pela presença do gene nifH, capacidade de sintetizar ácido indol-3-acético (AIA), solubilizar fosfato de cálcio (CaHPO4) e sequenciamento parcial do gene 16S rRNA. Vinte e quatro bactérias apresentaram o gene nifH. Destas, sete são oriundas de plantas cultivadas em uma área de cerrado e 17 em área de floresta. Quatorze bactérias demonstraram a capacidade de solubilizar AIA e quatro de solubilizar fosfato de cálcio. Entre estas bactérias, foram encontrados os seguintes gêneros: Pseudomonas; Acinetobacter; Enterobacter; Pantoea; Burkholderia e Bacillus. Oito isolados com capacidade de promoção do crescimento vegetal foram selecionados para experimento em casa de vegetação com a inoculação em dois diferentes genótipos de milho (um híbrido e uma variedade) em vasos com solo. Quanto à promoção de crescimento vegetal, a inoculação promoveu o desenvolvimento de plantas de milho, mas não foi encontrada interação significativa entre a cultivar de milho e a inoculação bacteriana. Na região Amazônica há uma diversidade de bactérias endofíticas e estas possuem potencial para promover o desenvolvimento de plantas de milho.

Expression and characterization of a novel ω-transaminase from Burkholderia phytofirmans PsJN / 生物工程学报

Production of chiral amines and unnatural amino-acid using ω-transaminase can be achieved by kinetic resolution and asymmetric synthesis, thus ω-transaminase is of great importance in the synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediates. By genomic data mining, a putative ω-transaminase gene hbp was found in Burkholderia phytofirmans PsJN. The gene was cloned and over-expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant enzyme (HBP) was purified by Ni-NTA column and its catalytic properties and substrate profile were studied. HBP showed high relative activity (33.80 U/mg) and enantioselectivity toward β-phenylalanine (β-Phe). The optimal reaction temperature and pH were 40 ℃ and 8.0-8.5, respectively. We also established a simpler and more effective method to detect the deamination reaction of β-Phe by UV absorption method using microplate reader, and demonstrated the thermodynamic property of this reaction. The substrate profiling showed that HBP was specific to β-Phe and its derivatives as the amino donor. HBP catalyzed the resolution of rac-β-Phe and its derivatives, the products (R)-amino acids were obtained with about 50% conversions and 99% ee.

A Case of Ceftazidime-Nonsusceptible Burkholderia pseudomallei Infection

Melioidosis, which is an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei, is prevalent mostly in Southeast Asia and northern Australia; it can progress to abscess formation, pneumonia and sepsis, and ultimately cause death. A 66-yr-old male patient with diabetes mellitus was hospitalized for sepsis 3 months after coming back from Cambodia, and B. pseudomallei was identified from the blood culture. The B. pseudomallei strain was found to be susceptible to carbapenem, and non-susceptible to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and ceftazidime. Although the patient was treated with carbapenem, to which the strain was susceptible, the bacteremia persisted, and progressed to septic shock and pneumonia, and eventually to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The patient died on the 12th day of hospitalization. This study, which reports the first case of ceftazidime-nonsusceptible B. pseudomallei in Korea, indicates the importance of B. pseudomallei infection, which is highly likely to be imported to Korea, and discuss its clinical progress, which can lead to fatality.

Burkholderia Cepacia Causing Nosocomial Urinary Tract Infection in Children

PURPOSE: Burkholderia cepacia is an aerobic, glucose-non-fermenting, gramnegative bacillus that mainly affects immunocompromised and hospitalized patients. Burkholderia cepacia has high levels of resistance to many antimicrobial agents, and therapeutic options are limited. The authors sought to analyze the incidence, clinical manifestation, risk factors, antimicrobial sensitivity and outcomes of B. cepacia urinary tract infection (UTI) in pediatric patients. METHODS: Pediatric patients with urine culture-proven B. cepacia UTI between January 2000 and December 2014 at Samsung Medical Center, a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Republic of Korea, were included in a retrospective analysis of medical records. RESULTS: Over 14 years, 14 patients (male-to-female ratio of 1:1) were diagnosed with B. cepacia UTI. Of 14 patients with UTI, 11 patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, and a bladder catheter was present in 9 patients when urine culture was positive for B. cepacia. Patients had multiple predisposing factors for UTI, including double-J catheter insertion (14.2%), vesico-ureteral reflux (28. 6%), congenital heart disease (28.6%), or malignancy (21.4%). Burkholderia cepacia isolates were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, and resistant to amikacin and colistin. Treatment with parenteral or oral antimicrobial agents including piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftazidime, meropenem, and sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim resulted in complete recovery from UTI. CONCLUSION: Burkholderia cepacia may be a causative pathogen for nosocomial UTI in pediatric patients with predisposing factors, and appropriate selection of antimicrobial therapy is necessary because of high levels of resistance to empirical therapy, including aminoglycosides.

Crescimento de cultivares de arroz (Oryza sativa L. ) influenciado pela inoculação com bactérias promotoras de crescimento de plantas / Growth of rice cultivars (Oryza sativa L. ) as affected by inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria

Este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito da inoculação de seis estirpes de bactérias promotoras de crescimento de plantas (BPCP), Burkholderia spp. (B7 e B16), Pseudomonas spp. (P18 e P21) e Rhizobium spp. (R65 e R82) e duas misturas contendo uma estirpe de cada gênero no crescimento de seis cultivares de arroz (BRS Bonança, BRS Aimoré, BRS Talento, BRSMG Curinga, Japonês e Bolinha). As características fisiológicas das bactérias foram determinadas em ensaios in vitro. Foi conduzido um experimento sob condições de casa de vegetação onde as BPCP foram inoculadas em cultivares de arroz, cultivados em vasos contendo 1 kg de solo, em delineamento de blocos casualizados com 4 repetições. Aos 60 dias após a emergência foram avaliados parâmetros de crescimentos relacionados à parte aérea e ao sistema radicular dos cultivares de arroz. Entre as bactérias, somente duas (B7 e R65) não apresentaram capacidade de produção in vitro de auxina. Todas as estirpes apresentaram atividade de catalase e formação de película em meio NFb semi-sólido sem N ou presença de nódulo em feijoeiro, indicando capacidade de fixação biológica de nitrogênio. A inoculação das BPCP em arroz proporcionou aumentos médios de 10% em relação ao controle para a área foliar e massa seca da parte aérea e de 9% para o comprimento e massa seca de raiz. Entre os cultivares, BRS Aimoré apresentou maior interação com as estirpes estudadas e a estirpe P21 de Pseudomonas spp. proporcionou diferença significativa em relação ao controle em parâmetros relacionados à parte aérea e ao sistema radicular.

Aiming to evaluate the effect of the inoculation of six strains of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPBs) Burkholderia spp. (B7 and B16), Pseudomonas spp. (P18 and P21) and Rhizobium spp. (R65 and R82) and two mixtures containing one strain of each genera on the growth of six rice cultivars (BRS Bonança, BRS Aimoré, BRS Talento, BRSMG Curinga, Japonês and Bolinha). Physiological characteristics of the bacteria were determined on in vitro assays. Rice cultivars were inoculated with PGPB under greenhouse conditions and cultivated on 1 kg pots filled with soil on a randomized block design with four replicates. At 60 days after emergence growth parameters related with the shoot and root were evaluated for rice cultivars. Among the evaluated bacteria only two (B7 and R65) were not able to produce auxin under in vitro conditions. All strains showed catalase activity and film formation in semisolid medium NFb without N or nodulation in common bean, indicating the ability of biological nitrogen fixation. Inoculation of PGPBs in rice provided increases of 10% as compared to the control regarding leaf area and dry mass of shoots and 9% for length and root dry weight. Among the cultivars BRS Aimoré showed greater interaction with the strains studied and the strain P21 of Pseudomonas spp. promoted significant difference compared to the control for the parameters related with the shoot and root system.

Tos y disnea de seis años de evolución en un adulto joven con melioidosis pulmonar crónica. Reporte de caso / Cough and dyspnea during six years in a young adult with chronic pulmonary melioidosis: Case report

Resumen: La melioidosis es una enfermedad infecciosa causada por una bacteria gram-negativa intracelularBurkholderia pseudomallei. Este microorganismo es un saprofito ambiental en regiones endémicas,algunas de ellas ubicadas probablemente en el territorio nacional y presenta alto riesgo de propagación como epidemia en zonas no endémicas. La melioidosis es una enfermedad clínicamente diversa, la mayoría de las infecciones son asintomáticas; sin embargo, si el paciente es sintomático, se puede clasificar como aguda o crónica según su persistencia. La presentación clínica más común es la afectación pulmonar y al diagnóstico predominan baciloscopias persistentemente negativas. Aquí se presenta un caso de un paciente con tos crónica, expectoración mucopurulenta, sudoración nocturna y disnea.

Abstract: Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the intracellular gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. This microorganism is an environmental saprophyte in endemic regions, some of which are likely located in our country and have a high risk of spreading to non-endemic areas. Melioidosis is a clinically diverse disease. Most infections are asymptomatic; however, if symptoms are present, the disease can be classified as acute or chronic according to persistence of symptoms. In addition, lung involvement is the most common clinical presentation and one of the main diagnostic features is consistently negative bacilloscopy. Here we present a case report of a patient with chronic cough, mucopurulent expectoration, night sweats and dyspnea.

A Case of Burkholderia cepacia Pneumonia after Lung Transplantation in a Recipient without Cystic Fibrosis / 대한구급학회지

Burkholderia cepacia is a highly virulent pathogen known to cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. It accelerates lung disease and causes necrotizing pneumonia with associated severe sepsis, known as cepacia syndrome. In particular, lung transplant recipients infected with Burkholderia cepacia show higher mortality after lung transplantation than those who are not infected with this organism. Due to broad-spectrum antibiotic resistance, a combination therapy should be used according to the results of the susceptibility test. This bacterial infection is rare in Korea, and no case was reported in lung transplant recipients. However, we report a case of pneumonia caused by Burkholderia cepacia after lung transplantation. As Burkholderia cepacia was grown from a sputum culture, the patient was treated initially with a combination of meropenem and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and then ceftazidime and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole as a result of leukopenia. After antibiotics treatment for 20 days, sputum cultures became negative for Burkholderia cepacia and the patient successfully recovered.

Influência da salinidade sobre o crescimento e a produção de ácido indol acético de Burkholderia spp. endofíticas de cana-de-açúcar / Salinity influence on the growth and production of indole acetic acid by endophytic Burkholderia spp. from sugarcane

A cana-de-açúcar é uma fonte importante de alimento e bioenergia. Assim, o estudo da interação com bactérias endofíticas que fixam o nitrogênio atmosférico (FBN) e produzem o ácido indol acético (AIA) vem sendo amplamente explorado. Porém, devido à sensibilidade bacteriana, tanto a produção de AIA, como a FBN, podem sofrer o impacto de fatores edafoclimáticos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência de diferentes concentrações de NaCl sobre o crescimento bacteriano, a FBN e a produção de AIA in vitro de linhagens bacterianas do gênero Burkholderia, isoladas endofiticamente de plantas de cana-de-açúcar, cultivadas no estado de Pernambuco. Para tanto, duas linhagens bacterianas endofíticas das espécies Burkholderia gladioli e B. heleia foram inoculadas em meio TSA (com L-triptofano) acrescido de cinco concentrações de NaCl: 0,1; 1; 10; 25 e 50 g.L-1 e incubadas sob agitação. O crescimento bacteriano e a produção de AIA foram avaliados através de um espectrofotômetro por 48 horas. Para o teste de fixação de nitrogênio, as linhagens foram inoculadas em meio LGI-P semi-sólido acrescido de cinco concentrações de NaCl: 0,1; 1; 10; 25 e 50 g.L1 e incubadas a 28ºC por 10 dias. Foi possível observar que altas concentrações de NaCl influenciaram negativamente o crescimento bacteriano e a produção do AIA in vitro por B. glaidoli e B. heleia. E que, concentrações de NaCl acima de 25 g.L-1 inibiram a capacidade de fixar nitrogênio, de ambas as linhagens.

The sugarcane is an important source of food and bioenergy. So, the study of its interaction with endophytic bacteria that fix atmospheric nitrogen (BNF) and produce indole acetic acid (IAA) has been widely explored. However, due to bacterial sensitivity, both the production of IAA as the BNF may suffer the impact of soil and climatic factors. The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of the NaCl different concentrations on the bacterial growth, on the BNF and on the IAA production in vitro by endophytic bacterial strains of the genus Burkholderia isolated from sugarcane plants grown in the Pernambuco State. In this study, two endophytic bacterial strains of Burkholderia gladioli and B. heleia species were inoculated in TSA (with L-tryptophan) added of five NaCl concentrations: 0.1, 1, 10, 25 and 50 g.L-1 and incubated under agitation. Bacterial growth and IAA production were assessed using a spectrophotometer for 48 hours. The nitrogen fixation test was carried out by the inoculation of the bacteria in semi-solid LGP-I added of five NaCl concentrations: 0.1, 1, 10, 25 and 50 g.L-1 and incubated at 28°C during 10 days. It was observed that high concentrations of NaCl influenced negatively the bacterial growth and indole acetic acid production in vitro by B. glaidoli and B. heleia. Nevertheless, NaCl concentrations above 25 g.L-1 inhibited the ability to fix nitrogen in both strains.

A Fosmid Cloning Strategy for Detecting the Widest Possible Spectrum of Microbes from the International Space Station Drinking Water System

In this study, fosmid cloning strategies were used to assess the microbial populations in water from the International Space Station (ISS) drinking water system (henceforth referred to as Prebiocide and Tank A water samples). The goals of this study were: to compare the sensitivity of the fosmid cloning strategy with that of traditional culture-based and 16S rRNA-based approaches and to detect the widest possible spectrum of microbial populations during the water purification process. Initially, microbes could not be cultivated, and conventional PCR failed to amplify 16S rDNA fragments from these low biomass samples. Therefore, randomly primed rolling-circle amplification was used to amplify any DNA that might be present in the samples, followed by size selection by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The amplified high-molecular-weight DNA from both samples was cloned into fosmid vectors. Several hundred clones were randomly selected for sequencing, followed by Blastn/Blastx searches. Sequences encoding specific genes from Burkholderia, a species abundant in the soil and groundwater, were found in both samples. Bradyrhizobium and Mesorhizobium, which belong to rhizobia, a large community of nitrogen fixers often found in association with plant roots, were present in the Prebiocide samples. Ralstonia, which is prevalent in soils with a high heavy metal content, was detected in the Tank A samples. The detection of many unidentified sequences suggests the presence of potentially novel microbial fingerprints. The bacterial diversity detected in this pilot study using a fosmid vector approach was higher than that detected by conventional 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

A Case of Prostatic Abscess due to Burkholderia pseudomallei / 대한내과학회지

Melioidosis is an infectious disease caused by the Gram-negative bacillus, Burkholderia pseudomallei. It is endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia, where B. pseudomallei is a soil saprophyte and invades the host through inoculation, inhalation or ingestion. It infects mostly adults with predisposing conditions, mainly diabetes mellitus. The lung is the most commonly affected organ, presenting with either cough or fever resulting from a primary spread. Also, seeding and abscess formation can arise in any organ. However, prostatic abscess due to melioidosis is uncommon. We report a case of pneumonia, and prostate and scrotal abscesses due to Burkholderia pseudomallei, in a 48-year-old man with diabetes mellitus who had a history of working in Malaysia. This is the first report of genitourinary infection of melioidosis in Korea.