Evolution of Burkholderia pseudomallei antibiotic synthesis and resistance genes

Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) is an environmental bacterium with potential use as a biological weapon. Bp causes melioidosis which is deadly and endemic across many tropical and subtropical regions. The symptoms range from liver abscess to pneumonia. Bp is intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics, thereby restricting treatment options. The bacterium also carries many genes for antibiotic synthesis, but its role as an antibiotic producer has largely been unexplored. I postulate that antibiotic resistance in Bp evolves as a protection mechanism against self-produced antibiotics, antibiotics secreted by competitors, or both. With a collection of 2,500 Bp genomes, I will create a database of genes participating in antibiotic synthesis and resistance in Bp. Additionally, I will explore the mechanisms that facilitate the dissemination of antibiotic synthesis and resistance genes in the bacterial population. These findings will improve our evolutionary understanding of antibiotic resistance in melioidosis, a deadly disease which kills 89,000 people annually.