Production of Levansucrase from Bacillus subtilis NRC 33a and Enzymic Synthesis of Levan and Fructo-Oligosaccharides

Insights into the heterogeneity of levan polymers synthesized by levansucrase Bs-SacB from Bacillus subtilis 168

Levan is an enzymatically synthesized fructose polymer with widely reported structural heterogeneity depending on the producing levansucrase, the reaction conditions employed for its synthesis and the characterization techniques. We studied here the specific properties of levan produced by recombinant levansucrase from B. subtilis 168 (Bs-SacB), often characterized as a bimodal distribution, that is, a mixture of low and high molecular weight levan. We found significant differences between both levans in terms of the already reported molecular weight, size and morphology using different analytical methods. The low molecular weight levan consists of a non-uniform polymer ranging from 50 to 230 kDa, synthesized through a non-processive mechanism that can spontaneously form spherical nanoparticles in the reaction medium. In contrast, high molecular weight levan is a uniform polymer, most probably synthesized through a processive mechanism, with an average molecular weight of 30,750 kDa and a poorly defined nano-structure. This is the first report exploring differences in morphology between low and high molecular weight levans. Our findings demonstrate that only the low molecular weight levan forms spherical nanoparticles in the reaction medium and that high molecular weight levan is mainly composed of a 33,000 kDa fraction with a microgel behavior.

Rational design of a self-assembly promoting fusion domain enhances high molecular weight levan synthesis by levansucrase SacB

The catalytic product of levansucrase from Bacillus subtilis (SacB) is mainly composed of 10 % high molecular weight levan (HMW, ~2000 kDa) and 90 % low molecular weight levan (LMW, ~7000 Da). In order to achieve efficient production of food hydrocolloid, high molecular weight levan (HMW), with the help of molecular dynamics simulation software, a protein self-assembly element, Dex-GBD, was found and fused with the C-terminus of SacB to construct a novel fusion enzyme, SacB-GBD. The product distribution of SacB-GBD was reversed compared with SacB, and the proportion of HMW in the total polysaccharide was significantly increased to >95 %. We then confirmed that the self-assembly was responsible for the reversal of the SacB-GBD product distribution by the simultaneous modulation of SacB-GBD particle size and product distribution by SDS. The hydrophobic effect may be the main driver of self-assembly as analyzed by molecular simulations and hydrophobicity determination. Our study provides an enzyme source for the industrial production of HMW and provides a new theoretical basis for guiding the molecular modification of levansucrase towards the size of the catalytic product.

Artificial neural network modeling and statistical optimization of medium components to enhance production of exopolysaccharide by Bacillus sp. EPS003

Microbial Exopolysaccharides (EPS) have a wide range of applications in food, cosmetics, agriculture, pharmaceutical industries, and environmental bioremediation. The present study aims at enhancing the production of EPS from a soil-isolate Bacillus sp. EPS003. Effects of carbon and nitrogen sources and process conditions were evaluated one factor at a time. Box-Behnken design has been used and a 2.5-fold increase in yield is reported after optimizing the most influential parameters sucrose, yeast extract, and peptone as identified by the Plackett-Burman method. An artificial neural network (ANN) with two different topologies (EPS-NN1 and EPS-NN2) was developed. On comparing prediction accuracy, EPS-NN2 formulated as one input layer with four input variables (sucrose, yeast extract, peptone, biomass), a single hidden layer with seven neurons and EPS yield in the output layer showed a high coefficient of determination (R²-0.98) and low error (NRMSE-0.024). This study concludes that the consideration of biomass value has increased the prediction accuracy of the model.

Production and сharacterization of the exopolysaccharide from strain Paenibacillus polymyxa 2020

Paenibacillus spp. exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have become a growing interest recently as a source of biomaterials. In this study, we characterized Paenibacillus polymyxa 2020 strain, which produces a large quantity of EPS (up to 68 g/L),and was isolated from wasp honeycombs. Here we report its complete genome sequence and full methylome analysis detected by Pacific Biosciences SMRT sequencing. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis identified a putative levan synthetic operon. SacC and sacB genes have been cloned and their products identified as glycoside hydrolase and levansucrase respectively. The Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra demonstrated that the EPS is a linear β-(2→6)-linked fructan (levan). The structure and properties of levan polymer produced from sucrose and molasses were analyzed by FT-IR, NMR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), cytotoxicity tests and showed low toxicity and high biocompatibility. Thus, P. polymyxa 2020 could be an exceptional cost-effective source for the industrial production of levan-type EPSs and to obtain functional biomaterials based on it for a broad range of applications, including bioengineering.

Optimization strategy of Bacillus subtilis MT453867 levansucrase and evaluation of levan role in pancreatic cancer treatment

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most lethal cancer type worldwide. Due to multiple levan applications including anticancer activities, studies related to levansucrase production are of interest. To our knowledge, levan effect on pancreatic cancer cells has not been tested previously. In this work, among eighteen bacterial honey isolates, Bacillus subtilis MT453867 showed the highest levan yield (33 g/L) and levansucrase production (8.31 U/mL). One-factor-at-a-time technique increased levansucrase activity by 60% when MgSO₄ was eliminated. The addition of 60 g/L banana peels enhanced the enzyme activity (192 U/mL). Placket Burman design determined the media composition for maximum levan yield (54.8 g/L) and levansucrase production (505 U/mL). The identification of levan was confirmed by thin-layer chromatography, Fourier-Transform Infrared spectrometric analysis, ¹³C-nuclear-magnetic resonance, and ¹H-nuclear-magnetic resonance. Both crude and dialyzed levan completely inhibited the pancreatic cancer cell line at 100 ppm with no cytotoxicity on the normal retinal cell line. The LD₅₀ of crude levan was 4833 mg/kg body weight. Levan had strong antioxidant activity and significantly reduced the expression of CXCR4 and MCM7 genes in pancreatic cancer cells with significant DNA fragmentation. In conclusion, Bacillus subtilis MT453867 levan is a promising adjunct to pancreatic-anticancer agents with both anti-cancer and chemoprotective effects.

Structural elucidation and interfacial properties of a levan isolated from Bacillus mojavensis

A strain with high exopolysaccharide (EPS) production was isolated from soil and identified as Bacillus mojavensis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and biochemical properties. The EPS produced simultaneously with the growth phase reached a maximum of 22 g/L after attaining a stationary phase with sucrose used as sole carbon source. B. mojavensis EPS (BM-EPS) was recovered, fractionated by ethanol precipitation and analysed by NMR and methylation analyses. The BM-EPS was found to be composed of (β2 → 6)-Fruf residues, characteristic of a levan, with an average molecular weight of 2.3 MDa. A homogeneous micro-porous and rough structure matrix was observed by SEM of the freeze-dried powdered sample. A concentration-dependent water-soluble nature was observed, with good water (5.3 g/g) and oil (36 g/g) holding capacities. The levan displayed good emulsification activity with excellent stability against food grade oil, thus favoring it as a promising emulsifying agent to food industries.

Direct Production of Difructose Anhydride IV from Sucrose by Co-fermentation of Recombinant Yeasts

A functional sweetener, difructose anhydride IV (DFA IV), is enzymatically produced from sucrose via levan by levansucrase (LSRase) followed by levan fructotransferase (LFTase). Here, we have demonstrated a consolidated production system for the direct conversion of DFA IV from sucrose using the co-culture of two recombinant yeast strains secreting LSRase from Bacillus subtilis and LFTase from Arthrobacter ureafaciens, respectively. To ensure secretory production of the enzymes, target protein-specific translational fusion partners (TFP) were employed, and the selected strains produced 3.8 U/mL of LSRase and 16.0 U/mL LFTase activity into the fermentation broth. To optimise the direct production, sucrose concentration and cell ratios were investigated. In the optimised conditions, 64.3 g/L crude DFA IV was directly produced from 244.7 g/L sucrose using co-fermentation of recombinant yeasts. These results promise an efficient production titre, yield, and DFA IV productivity in an industrially applicable method.

A close look on the effect of polyethylene glycol on the levansucrase thermostability: a case study of Brenneria sp. levansucrase

BACKGROUND

To increase the low residual activity of levansucrase during long-time processing, an enhancement of its weak thermostability is needed. Here, the effect of metal ions and polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the thermostability of levansucrase from Brenneria sp. EniD312 were studied and evaluated. The residual activity was determined and the protein structure was evaluated by circular dichroism spectrum, fluorescence intensity (FI), and surface hydrophobicity (S₀ ).

RESULTS

As a result of incubation with 10% (w/v) PEG 4000, the enzyme activity was increased by 1.24-fold. After incubation with 5% PEG 4000 for 6 h, the residual activity at 35 and 45 °C was decreased to 55% and 60% of the initial activity, with an increase of 1.2- and 3.3-fold than the wild-type enzyme. Furthermore, the random coil content of enzyme was decreased from 53% of the wild-type enzyme to 33.9% of the PEG pre-incubated enzyme. Additionally, the FI was maximally increased and the S₀ was decreased from 117 to 69.

CONCLUSION

All of these results suggested that after incubation with PEG 4000, the secondary and tertiary structure of wild-type enzyme could be greatly maintained and then its thermostability could be increased. This study was the first report on the enhancement of levansucrase thermostability by PEG incubation and might be a good guideline to other researches on levansucrase. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Counterselectable Sucrose Sensitivity Marker Permits Efficient and Flexible Mutagenesis in Streptococcus agalactiae

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) is a cause of severe infections, particularly during the newborn period. While methods exist for generating chromosomal mutations in GBS, they are cumbersome and inefficient and present significant challenges if the goal is to study subtle mutations, such as single-base-pair polymorphisms. To address this problem, we have developed an efficient and flexible GBS mutagenesis protocol based on sucrose counterselection against levansucrase (SacB) expressed from a temperature-selective shuttle vector. GBS containing the SacB expression cassette demonstrates lethal sensitivity to supplemental sucrose whether the plasmid DNA is replicating outside of the chromosome or has been integrated during a crossover event. Transmission electron microscopy shows that SacB-mediated lethal sucrose sensitivity results from the accumulation of inclusion bodies that eventually lead to complete degradation of normal cellular architecture and subsequent lysis. We used this new mutagenesis technique to generate an in-frame, allelic exchange knockout of the GBS sortase gene srtA, demonstrating that >99% of colonies that emerge from our protocol had the expected knockout phenotype and that among a subset tested by sequencing, 100% had the correct genotype. We also generated barcoded nonsense mutations in the cylE gene in two GBS strains, showing that the approach can be used to make small, precise chromosomal mutations.IMPORTANCE The ability to generate chromosomal mutations is fundamental to microbiology. Historically, however, GBS pathogenesis research has been made challenging by the relative genetic intractability of the organism. Generating a single knockout in GBS using traditional techniques can take many months, with highly variable success rates. Furthermore, traditional methods do not offer a straightforward way to generate single-base-pair polymorphisms or other subtle changes, especially to noncoding regions of the chromosome. We have developed a new sucrose counterselection-based method that permits rapid, efficient, and flexible GBS mutagenesis. Our technique requires no additional equipment beyond what is needed for traditional approaches. We believe that it will catalyze rapid advances in GBS genetics research by significantly easing the path to generating mutants.

Scaling up of levan yield in Bacillus subtilis M and cytotoxicity study on levan and its derivatives

This study focused on kinetics of levan yield by Bacillus subtilis M, in a 150 L stirred tank bioreactor under controlled pH conditions. The optimized production medium was composed of (g/L): commercial sucrose 100.0, yeast extract 2.0, K₂HPO₄ 3.0 and MgSO₄⋅7H₂O 0.2; an increase in both carbohydrates consumption and cell growth depended on increasing the size of the stirred tank bioreactor from 16 L to 150 L. The highest levansucrase production (63.4 U/mL) and levan yield of 47 g/L was obtained after 24 h. Also, the specific levan yield (Y_p/x) which reflects the cell productivity increased with the size increase of the stirred tank bioreactor and reached its maximum value of about 29.4 g/g cells. These results suggested that B. subtilis M could play an important role in levan yield on a large scale in the future. Chemical modifications of B. subtilis M crude levan (CL) into sulfated (SL), phosphorylated (PL), and carboxymethylated levans (CML) were done. The difference in CL structure and its derivatives was detected by FT-IR transmission spectrum. The cytotoxicity of CL and its derivatives were evaluated by HepGII, Mcf-7 and CaCo-2. In general most tested levans forms had no significant cytotoxicity effect. In fact, the carboxymethylated and phosphrylated forms had a lower anti-cancer effect than CL. On the other hand, SL had the highest cytotoxicity showing SL had a significant anti-cancer effect. The results of cytotoxicity and cell viability were statistically analyzed using three-way ANOVA.

Prebiotic Oligosaccharides: Special Focus on Fructooligosaccharides, Its Biosynthesis and Bioactivity

The bacterial groups in the gut ecosystem play key role in the maintenance of host's metabolic and structural functionality. The gut microbiota enhances digestion processing, helps in digestion of complex substances, synthesizes beneficial bioactive compounds, enhances bioavailability of minerals, impedes growth of pathogenic microbes, and prevents various diseases. It is, therefore, desirable to have an adequate intake of prebiotic biomolecules, which promote favorable modulation of intestinal microflora. Prebiotics are non-digestible and chemically stable structures that significantly enhance growth and functionality of gut microflora. The non-digestible carbohydrate, mainly oligosaccharides, covers a major part of total available prebiotics as dietary additives. The review describes the types of prebiotic low molecular weight carbohydrates, i.e., oligosaccharides, their structure, biosynthesis, functionality, and applications, with a special focus given to fructooligosaccharides (FOSs). The review provides an update on enzymes executing hydrolytic and fructosyltransferase activities producing prebiotic FOS biomolecules, and future perspectives.

Fermentation pH Modulates the Size Distributions and Functional Properties of Gluconobacter albidus TMW 2.1191 Levan

Bacterial levan has gained an increasing interest over the last decades due to its unique characteristics and multiple possible applications. Levan and other exopolysaccharides (EPSs) production are usually optimized to obtain the highest concentration or yield while a possible change of the molecular size and mass during the production process is mostly neglected. In this study, the molar mass and radius of levan samples were monitored during fermentations with the food-grade, levan-producing acetic acid bacterium Gluconobacter (G.) albidus TMW 2.1191 in shake flasks (without pH control) and bioreactors (with pH control at 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5, respectively). In uncontrolled fermentations, the levan size/molar mass continuously decreased concomitantly with the continuous acidification of the nutrient medium. On the contrary, the amount, molar mass and size of levan could be directly influenced by controlling the pH during fermentation. Using equal initial substrate amounts, the largest weight average molar mass and geometric radius of levan were observed at constant pH 6.5, while the highest levan concentration was obtained at constant pH 4.5. Since there is a special demand to find suitable hydrocolloids from food-grade bacteria to develop novel gluten-free (GF) products, these differently produced levans were used for baking of GF breads, and the best quality improvement was obtained by addition of levan with the highest mass and radius. This work, therefore, demonstrates for the first time that one bacterial strain can produce specific high molecular weight fractions of one EPS type, which differ in properties and sizes among each other in dependence of the controllable production conditions.

Possible correlation between levansucrase production and probiotic activity of Bacillus sp. isolated from honey and honey bee

Five bacterial isolates from honey and bee gut were selected based on their high levansucrase activity and levan yield which were strongly positively correlated. All isolates showed good tolerance to temperature up to 70 °C, to NaCl up to 3 M and to 0.1% H₂O₂. They maintained over 59 and 64% survival at pH 9.0 and 2.0 respectively, but showed varying tolerance to 0.1% bile salts and pancreatic enzymes. Most isolates were susceptible to widely used antibiotics, but demonstrated diverse antimicrobial activity. Non hemolytic isolates were identified on the basis of 16S rRNA sequencing as Bacillus subtilis HMNig-2 and B. subtilis MENO2 with 97% homology. They exhibited promising probiotic characteristics and achieved highest levansucrase activity of 94.1 and 81.5 U/mL respectively. Both exhibited highest biofilm formation ability in static microtiter plate assay. Also, they achieved 34 and 26% adhesion respectively to Caco-2cells and had highest free radical scavenging activity of 30.8 and 26.2% respectively. The levans of the two isolates showed good antimicrobial activity against some pathogens and exhibited positive prebiotic effect (prebiotic index >1) with Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus reuteri. Results suggest a correlation between levansucrase production, levan yield and pre-probiotic activities of the studied strains.

Establishing a Role for Bacterial Cellulose in Environmental Interactions: Lessons Learned from Diverse Biofilm-Producing Proteobacteria

Bacterial cellulose (BC) serves as a molecular glue to facilitate intra- and inter-domain interactions in nature. Biosynthesis of BC-containing biofilms occurs in a variety of Proteobacteria that inhabit diverse ecological niches. The enzymatic and regulatory systems responsible for the polymerization, exportation, and regulation of BC are equally as diverse. Though the magnitude and environmental consequences of BC production are species-specific, the common role of BC-containing biofilms is to establish close contact with a preferred host to facilitate efficient host-bacteria interactions. Universally, BC aids in attachment, adherence, and subsequent colonization of a substrate. Bi-directional interactions influence host physiology, bacterial physiology, and regulation of BC biosynthesis, primarily through modulation of intracellular bis-(3'→5')-cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) levels. Depending on the circumstance, BC producers exhibit a pathogenic or symbiotic relationship with plant, animal, or fungal hosts. Rhizobiaceae species colonize plant roots, Pseudomonadaceae inhabit the phyllosphere, Acetobacteriaceae associate with sugar-loving insects and inhabit the carposphere, Enterobacteriaceae use fresh produce as vehicles to infect animal hosts, and Vibrionaceae, particularly Aliivibrio fischeri, colonize the light organ of squid. This review will highlight the diversity of the biosynthesis and regulation of BC in nature by discussing various examples of Proteobacteria that use BC-containing biofilms to facilitate host-bacteria interactions. Through discussion of current data we will establish new directions for the elucidation of BC biosynthesis, its regulation and its ecophysiological roles.

Bacillus subtilis 168 levansucrase (SacB) activity affects average levan molecular weight

Levan is a fructan polymer that offers a variety of applications in the chemical, health, cosmetic and food industries. Most of the levan applications depend on levan molecular weight, which in turn depends on the source of the synthesizing enzyme and/or on reaction conditions. Here we demonstrate that in the particular case of levansucrase from Bacillus subtilis 168, enzyme concentration is also a factor defining the molecular weight levan distribution. While a bimodal distribution has been reported at the usual enzyme concentrations (1 U/ml equivalent to 0.1 μM levansucrase) we found that a low molecular weight normal distribution is solely obtained al high enzyme concentrations (>5 U/ml equivalent to 0.5 μM levansucrase) while a high normal molecular weight distribution is synthesized at low enzyme doses (0.1 U/ml equivalent to 0.01 μM of levansucrase).

High levan production by Bacillus licheniformis NS032 using ammonium chloride as the sole nitrogen source

In this study, levan production by Bacillus licheniformis NS032 isolated from a petroleum sludge sample was investigated. High levan yield was obtained in a wide range of sucrose concentrations (up to 400 g/L) and, contrary to most levan-producing strains, using ammonium chloride as the sole N source. Interaction between sucrose, ammonium chloride, and initial pH of the medium in a low sucrose (60-200 g/L) and a high sucrose (300-400 g/L) system was analyzed by response surface methodology. According to the calculated model in the low sucrose system, maximum predicted levan yield was 47.8 g/L (sucrose 196.8 g/L, ammonium chloride 2.4 g/L, pH 7.0), while in the high sucrose system, levan yield was 99.2 g/L (sucrose 397.6 g/L, ammonium chloride 4.6 g/L, pH 7.4). In addition, protective effect of microbial levan against copper toxicity to Daphnia magna is observed for the first time. The acute toxicity (48 h EC50) of copper decreased from 0.14 to 0.44 mg/L by levan in concentration of 50 ppm.

Properties of Geobacillus stearothermophilus levansucrase as potential biocatalyst for the synthesis of levan and fructooligosaccharides

The production of levansucrase (LS) by thermophilic Geobacillus stearothermophilus was investigated. LS production was more effective in the presence of sucrose (1%, w/v) than fructose, glucose, glycerol or raffinose. The results (Top 57°C; stable for 6 h at 47°C) indicate the high stability of the transfructosylation activity of G. stearothermophilus LS as compared with LSs from other microbial sources. Contrary to temperature, the pH had a significant effect on the selectivity of G. stearothermophilus LS-catalyzed reaction, favoring the transfructosylation reaction in the pH range of 6.0-6.5. The kinetic parameter study revealed that the catalytic efficiency of transfructosylation activity was higher as compared with the hydrolytic one. In addition to levan, G. stearothermophilus LS synthesized fructooligosaccharides in the presence of sucrose as the sole substrate. The results also demonstrated the wide acceptor specificity of G. stearothermophilus LS with maltose being the best fructosyl acceptor. This study is the first on the catalytic properties and the acceptor specificity of LS from G. stearothermophilus.

Reuteran and levan as carbohydrate sinks in transgenic sugarcane

The present study reports the effect of high molecular weight bacterial fructan (levan) and glucan (reuteran) on growth and carbohydrate partitioning in transgenic sugarcane plants. These biopolymers are products of bacterial glycosyltransferases, enzymes that catalyze the polymerization of glucose or fructose residues from sucrose. Constructs, targeted to different subcellular compartments (cell wall and cytosol) and driven by the Cauliflower mosaic virus-35S: maize-ubiquitin promoter, were introduced into sugarcane by biolistic transformation. Polysaccharide accumulation severely affected growth of callus suspension cultures. Regeneration of embryonic callus tissue into plants proved problematic for cell wall-targeted lines. When targeted to the cytosol, only plants with relative low levels of biopolymer accumulation survived. In internodal stalk tissue that accumulate reuteran (max 0.03 mg/g FW), sucrose content (ca 60 mg/g FW) was not affected, while starch content (<0.4 mg/g FW) was increased up to four times. Total carbohydrate content was not significantly altered. On the other hand, starch and sucrose levels were significantly reduced in plants accumulating levan (max 0.01 mg/g FW). Heterologous expression resulted in a reduction in total carbohydrate assimilation rather than a simple diversion by competition for substrate.

Purification and characterization of levansucrases from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in intra- and extracellular forms useful for the synthesis of levan and fructooligosaccharides

The intra- and extracellular levansucrase (LS) activities produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens were promoted by supplementing the sucrose medium with yeast and peptone as nitrogen sources. These activities were purified by polyethylene glycol (PEG) fractionation for the first time. PEGs of low molecular weight selectively fractionated the intracellular LS activity rather than the extracellular LS activity. Contrary to other LSs, B. amyloliquefaciens LSs exhibited high levan-forming activity over a wide range of sucrose concentrations. The optimum temperatures for the intra- (25-30 °C) and extracellular (40 °C) LS transfructosylation activities were lower than those for the hydrolytic activities (45-50 °C; 50 °C). In addition, the catalytic efficiency for the transfructosylation activity of intracellular LS was higher than that of extracellular LS. These differences between intra- and extracellular LSs reveal the occurrence of certain conformational changes to LS upon protein secretion and/or purification. This study is the first to highlight that B. amyloliquefaciens LSs synthesized a variety of FOSs from various saccharides, with lactose and maltose being the best fructosyl acceptors.

Exopolymeric substances (EPS) from Bacillus subtilis: polymers and genes encoding their synthesis

Bacterial exopolymeric substances (EPS) are molecules released in response to the physiological stress encountered in the natural environment. EPS are structural components of the extracellular matrix in which cells are embedded during biofilm development. The chemical nature and functions of these EPS are dependent on the genetic expression of the cells within each biofilm. Although some bacterial matrices have been characterized, understanding of the function of the EPS is relatively limited, particularly within the Bacillus genus. Similar gaps of knowledge exist with respect to the chemical composition and specific roles of the macromolecules secreted by Bacillus subtilis in its natural environment. In this review, the different EPS from B. subtilis were classified into four main functional categories: structural (neutral polymers), sorptive (charged polymers), surface-active and active polymers. In addition, current information regarding the genetic expression, production and function of the main polymers secreted by B. subtilis strains, particularly those related to biofilm formation and its architecture, has been compiled. Further characterization of these EPS from B. subtilis remains a challenge.

Facile construction of unmarked deletion mutants in Burkholderia pseudomallei using sacB counter-selection in sucrose-resistant and sucrose-sensitive isolates

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a potentially fatal disease endemic or emerging world-wide. Here we report unmarked allele-replacement mutagenesis using efficient sacB counter-selection. Despite being genotypically sacB(+), most commonly used B. pseudomallei strains are sucrose-resistant and efficient sacB counter-selection is demonstrated in both resistant and sensitive strains.