BMC Microbiology (Nov 2012)

Detection of <it>Burkholderia pseudomallei</it> O-antigen serotypes in near-neighbor species

  • Stone Joshua K,
  • Mayo Mark,
  • Grasso Stephanie A,
  • Ginther Jennifer L,
  • Warrington Stephanie D,
  • Allender Christopher J,
  • Doyle Adina,
  • Georgia Shalamar,
  • Kaestli Mirjam,
  • Broomall Stacey M,
  • Karavis Mark A,
  • Insalaco Joseph M,
  • Hubbard Kyle S,
  • McNew Lauren A,
  • Gibbons Henry S,
  • Currie Bart J,
  • Keim Paul,
  • Tuanyok Apichai

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2180-12-250
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 1
p. 250

Abstract

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Abstract Background Burkholderia pseudomallei is the etiological agent of melioidosis and a CDC category B select agent with no available effective vaccine. Previous immunizations in mice have utilized the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a potential vaccine target because it is known as one of the most important antigenic epitopes in B. pseudomallei. Complicating this strategy are the four different B. pseudomallei LPS O-antigen types: A, B, B2, and rough. Sero-crossreactivity is common among O-antigens of Burkholderia species. Here, we identified the presence of multiple B. pseudomallei O-antigen types and sero-crossreactivity in its near-neighbor species. Results PCR screening of O-antigen biosynthesis genes, phenotypic characterization using SDS-PAGE, and immunoblot analysis showed that majority of B. mallei and B. thailandensis strains contained the typical O-antigen type A. In contrast, most of B. ubonensis and B. thailandensis-like strains expressed the atypical O-antigen types B and B2, respectively. Most B. oklahomensis strains expressed a distinct and non-seroreactive O-antigen type, except strain E0147 which expressed O-antigen type A. O-antigen type B2 was also detected in B. thailandensis 82172, B. ubonensis MSMB108, and Burkholderia sp. MSMB175. Interestingly, B. thailandensis-like MSMB43 contained a novel serotype B positive O-antigen. Conclusions This study expands the number of species which express B. pseudomallei O-antigen types. Further work is required to elucidate the full structures and how closely these are to the B. pseudomallei O-antigens, which will ultimately determine the efficacy of the near-neighbor B serotypes for vaccine development.