B. pseudomallei and Melioidosis

• What color represents Australia in the image?

  Yellow
• What are the colors used to represent the different regions in the image?

  • Americas: Blue
  • Ghana sites samples: Light Red
  • Africa: Green
  • Australia: Yellow
  • India: Teal
  • Indo China: Dark Purple
  • Micronesia: Light Green
  • Thailand: Purple
  • Singapore: Pink
  • China: Red
• What is the color used to represent Ghana sites samples in the image?

  Light Red
• What geographical information can be inferred from the phylogenetic tree?

  • Geographic distribution of Burkholderia pseudomallei strains
  • Strains are grouped by region, such as the Americas, Africa, and Asia
  • Colors indicate specific locations, like India (Teal) and Thailand (Purple)
• How would you use this tree to investigate a Melioidosis outbreak in a new region?

  • Sequence the Burkholderia pseudomallei strains from the outbreak.
  • Compare the sequences to the existing tree to determine the origin.
  • Trace the possible routes of transmission.
• How do genomic islands contribute to B. pseudomallei?

  They likely contribute to adaptation and virulence
• What is the strain type for Burkholderia pseudomallei found in Texas?

  ST297
• According to the image, which region is associated with the color blue?

  Americas
• According to the image, what color represents Micronesia?

  Light Green
• What color represents China in the image?

  Red
• What is the name of the process shown in the image?

  Phagocytosis
• What Burkholderia species is represented in the phylogenetic tree?

  Burkholderia pseudomallei
• What is the strain type of Burkholderia pseudomallei found in Massachusetts, ex Aruba?

  ST608
• What is a possible reason for the clustering of certain colors in specific areas of the tree?

  Geographic isolation and localized evolution
• What can you infer about strains with the same color within different regions?

  • These strains are genetically related.
  • There may be a common origin or transmission pathway.
  • Indicates potential spread between those regions.
• According to the image, what is the sequence type (ST) of Burkholderia pseudomallei found in Ghana?

  ST2068
• What does "ex" indicate in the strain label "USA_ex_Mexico"?

  The sample originated from Mexico
• What is the approximate size of the B. pseudomallei genome?

  7 Mbp
• What can inhalation of Burkholderia pseudomallei lead to?

  Pneumonia
• Who first discovered Burkholderia pseudomallei?

  George Whitmore
• How can one become infected with Burkholderia pseudomallei?

  By exposure to contaminated soil or water
• What are the main components involved in the phagocytosis process shown in the image?

  • Pathogen/foreign material
  • Phagocyte (e.g. macrophage)
  • Cell membrane
  • Phagosome
  • Lysosome
• What color is associated with India in the phylogenetic tree?

  Teal
• What does the image of B. pseudomallei strains illustrate?

  • Grouping based on geographic location
  • Demonstrates global distribution through soil
• According to the image, what is one of the sequence types of Burkholderia pseudomallei found in the Americas?

  ST518
• How does Burkholderia pseudomallei spread?

  Through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact
• What symptoms may result from ingestion of contaminated food or water?

  Gastrointestinal symptoms
• What are genomic islands in B. pseudomallei?

  Distinct DNA regions acquired through horizontal gene transfer
• Where is B. pseudomallei widely distributed?

  Through soil globally
• How does photosynthesis work in plants?

  Process of photosynthesis:

  1. Light absorption by chlorophyll
  2. Light-dependent reactions: water splits, electrons excited
  3. Electron transport chain: ATP and NADPH produced
  4. Calvin cycle (light-independent reactions):

  • CO2 fixation
  • Reduction of fixed carbon
  • Regeneration of RuBP

  1. Glucose and other carbohydrates synthesized
• What is the primary environment associated with the global distribution of B. pseudomallei?

  Soil
• How does walking barefoot in flooded areas increase infection risk?

  It exposes individuals to contaminated soil
• How is Burkholderia pseudomallei classified by the CDC?

  As a BSL-3 pathogen
• What color represents Thailand on the image?

  Purple
• Which color is used to represent Singapore on the image?

  Pink
• What are the sizes of the two chromosomes in B. pseudomallei?

  4 Mbp and 3 Mbp
• What does BSL-3 stand for in relation to Burkholderia pseudomallei?

  BioSafety Level 3
• What does the phylogenetic tree likely illustrate about the Burkholderia pseudomallei?

  Evolutionary relationships and geographic distribution
• What are the modes of transmission for Burkholderia pseudomallei?

  • Inhalation
  • Ingestion
  • Skin contact
• How can the phylogenetic tree be used in understanding the spread of Burkholderia pseudomallei?

  • Identify the origins and pathways of the bacteria
  • Track the movement of specific strains across different geographic regions
  • Understand how strains have evolved and adapted in various environments