Burkholderia gladioli

General Information

Burkholderia gladioli is a fascinating microorganism that has garnered significant interest in various fields of research due to its unique characteristics and versatile capabilities. This bacterium is known for its broad ecological distribution, being found in diverse environments such as soil, water, and even within plant tissues. One of the most intriguing aspects of B. gladioli is its ability to act as both a plant pathogen and a beneficial symbiont, depending on the context. In the realm of plant pathology, B. gladioli is notorious for causing diseases in a variety of crops, including rice, onions, and gladiolus, from which it derives its name. The bacterium produces a range of virulence factors that enable it to infect and damage plant tissues, leading to significant agricultural losses. However, this same organism can also engage in beneficial interactions with plants, promoting growth and providing protection against other pathogens through the production of antimicrobial compounds. From a biotechnological perspective, B. gladioli is particularly valuable due to its metabolic versatility. It can degrade a wide array of organic compounds, making it a candidate for bioremediation efforts aimed at cleaning up environmental pollutants. Additionally, the bacterium produces a variety of secondary metabolites with potential pharmaceutical applications. For instance, it synthesizes gladiolin, a polyketide with promising antibacterial properties, which has been the subject of recent research for its potential use in treating antibiotic-resistant infections. Another noteworthy feature of B. gladioli is its genomic plasticity. The bacterium possesses a large and dynamic genome that allows it to adapt to different environmental conditions and host organisms. This genetic flexibility is a key factor in its ability to switch between pathogenic and symbiotic lifestyles, making it an excellent model organism for studying microbial evolution and host-microbe interactions. In summary, Burkholderia gladioli stands out as a microorganism of significant interest due to its dual role as a plant pathogen and symbiont, its metabolic capabilities, and its potential applications in biotechnology and medicine. Its complex interactions with plants and its ability to produce valuable secondary metabolites make it a subject of ongoing research with promising implications for agriculture, environmental science, and healthcare.

Burkholderia gladioli is a fascinating bacterium that has garnered attention due to its unique ecological niche and its role in plant pathology. This species is primarily known for its association with various plants, particularly in the context of plant diseases. It has been identified as a pathogen of several crops, including onions and garlic, leading to significant agricultural losses. The ability of B. gladioli to infect these plants highlights its adaptability and the complex interactions it has with its host organisms. One of the most interesting aspects of B. gladioli is its genetic diversity and the presence of multiple strains, some of which are known to produce antibiotic compounds. This characteristic makes it a valuable organism for research in the field of natural product discovery. Scientists are particularly interested in exploring the potential of these compounds for developing new antimicrobial agents, especially in an era where antibiotic resistance is a growing concern. Additionally, B. gladioli has been studied for its bioremediation potential. Certain strains have shown the ability to degrade environmental pollutants, making them candidates for use in cleaning up contaminated sites. This capability not only underscores the ecological importance of this bacterium but also its potential application in environmental biotechnology. Furthermore, the study of B. gladioli contributes to our understanding of microbial interactions within the rhizosphere, where it can influence plant health and soil dynamics. Its interactions with other microorganisms and its impact on plant growth are areas of active research, providing insights into sustainable agricultural practices. In summary, Burkholderia gladioli stands out due to its role as a plant pathogen, its potential for antibiotic production, its bioremediation capabilities, and its influence on microbial ecology. These characteristics make it a significant subject of study in both agricultural and environmental microbiology.

Taxonomy

Superkingdom: Bacteria

Phylum: Pseudomonadota

Class: Betaproteobacteria

Order: Burkholderiales

Family: Burkholderiaceae

Genus: Burkholderia

Species: Burkholderia gladioli

NCBI ID

28095

Genome Info

FTP Path:
ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genomes/all/GCA/016/698/705/GCA_016698705.1_ASM1669870v1

File for sequence-based predictions:
GCA_016698705.1_ASM1669870v1_genomic.fasta

Descriptions

Clinical Implications and Relevance

Source: gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18

The organism Burkholderia gladioli is a notable member of the Burkholderia genus, primarily recognized for its clinical implications in human health. It is often associated with opportunistic infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients, such as those with cystic fibrosis or undergoing chemotherapy. The organism can cause a range of infections, including pneumonia, bacteremia, and skin infections. Its pathogenicity is attributed to its ability to produce a variety of virulence factors, including exotoxins and biofilm formation, which facilitate its colonization and persistence in host tissues. In terms of antimicrobial resistance, Burkholderia gladioli exhibits resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, making treatment challenging. This resistance is often due to the presence of beta-lactamases and other efflux mechanisms that allow the organism to survive in the presence of antimicrobial agents. The emergence of resistant strains has raised concerns in clinical settings, particularly in patients with chronic lung diseases. Moreover, Burkholderia gladioli has been implicated in outbreaks, particularly in healthcare environments, where it can be transmitted through contaminated medical equipment or environmental sources. Its role as a pathogen in these settings underscores the importance of stringent infection control measures. Interestingly, some strains of Burkholderia gladioli are being explored for their potential as biocontrol agents in agriculture, as they can suppress plant pathogens. However, their dual role as both beneficial and pathogenic organisms highlights the complexity of their interactions with human health and the environment. Overall, understanding the clinical relevance of Burkholderia gladioli is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies and managing its impact on vulnerable populations.

Habitat and Ecological Niches

Source: gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18

Burkholderia gladioli is a versatile bacterium commonly associated with various habitat types and ecological niches, particularly in soil and plant-associated environments. This microorganism is often found in the rhizosphere of plants, where it plays a crucial role in promoting plant health through its ability to fix nitrogen and enhance nutrient availability. Its presence in the soil contributes to the overall soil fertility and supports the growth of various plant species, making it an important player in agricultural ecosystems. In addition to its role in soil, Burkholderia gladioli is also known to inhabit wetlands and marshy areas, where it can thrive in anaerobic conditions. This adaptability allows it to participate in the biogeochemical cycling of nutrients, particularly in the breakdown of organic matter, which is essential for maintaining the health of these ecosystems. Furthermore, Burkholderia gladioli exhibits notable interactions with its surroundings, including symbiotic relationships with certain plants. These interactions can lead to enhanced resistance against pathogens and improved stress tolerance in host plants, showcasing its importance in plant-microbe interactions. Overall, Burkholderia gladioli is a key organism in various biomes, contributing to nutrient cycling, plant health, and ecosystem stability through its diverse ecological roles.

Industrial Application

Source: gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18

The microorganism Burkholderia gladioli has shown significant potential in various industrial applications. One of the most notable areas is in biotechnology, where Burkholderia gladioli is utilized for its ability to produce a range of enzymes that can be harnessed in biocatalysis processes. These enzymes are particularly valuable in the food industry for applications such as the breakdown of starches and proteins, enhancing flavor and texture in food products. In the realm of waste management, Burkholderia gladioli has demonstrated capabilities in biodegradation, particularly in the breakdown of complex organic pollutants. This makes it a candidate for use in bioremediation strategies aimed at cleaning up contaminated environments, such as oil spills or heavy metal-laden sites. Furthermore, Burkholderia gladioli has been explored for its role in biofuel production. Its metabolic pathways can be leveraged in fermentation processes to convert biomass into bioethanol, providing a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. The organism's ability to utilize various substrates enhances its utility in this sector. In pharmaceutical development, Burkholderia gladioli has been studied for its potential to produce bioactive compounds, which may lead to the discovery of new antibiotics or therapeutic agents. The organism's unique metabolic capabilities allow for the synthesis of novel molecules that could be beneficial in treating various diseases. Overall, Burkholderia gladioli represents a versatile microorganism with applications spanning biotechnology, waste management, biofuel production, and pharmaceutical development, showcasing its importance in advancing industrial processes and sustainability.

Phenotypes and Predictions

The table shows the phenotypes and predictions. Cell colors indicate the class of the value. When literature-based data is available, a checkmark (✓) indicates a correct prediction, while an ✗ indicates an incorrect prediction.

Literature-based phenotypes: 11

LLM predicted phenotypes: 2

Phenotype	High-quality annotation	anthropic/claude-3-haiku:beta	google/gemma-7b-it	mistralai/mixtral-8x7b-instruct:nitro	meta-llama/llama-3-8b-instruct:nitro	google/gemini-pro	google/palm-2-chat-bison-32k	google/gemini-flash-1.5	meta-llama/llama-3-70b-instruct:nitro	openchat/openchat-7b	mistralai/mistral-7b-instruct	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	openai/gpt-3.5-turbo-0125	google/gemini-pro-1.5	google/gemini-pro-1.5	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b	openai/gpt-4o	openai/gpt-4o	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	anthropic/claude-3.5-sonnet	openai/gpt-4	openai/gpt-4	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	microsoft/phi-3-mini-128k-instruct	perplexity/llama-3-sonar-small-32k-chat	perplexity/llama-3-sonar-small-32k-chat
Motility	TRUE	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓
Gram staining	gram stain negative	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓	N/A	gram stain negative ✓
Aerophilicity	aerobic	N/A	N/A	facultatively anaerobic ✗	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	aerobic ✓	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Extreme environment tolerance	FALSE	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗	true ✗
Biofilm formation	N/A	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true
Animal pathogenicity	TRUE	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓
Biosafety level	biosafety level 2	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓	biosafety level 2 ✓
Health association	N/A	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	false	false	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	true	false	false	true	true
Host association	TRUE	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓
Plant pathogenicity	TRUE	true ✓	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	true ✓	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗	false ✗
Spore formation	FALSE	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	false ✓	true ✗	true ✗
Hemolysis	gamma	beta ✗	alpha ✗	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Cell shape	bacillus	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓	bacillus ✓

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