AUTHOR=Dowling Andrea J.

TITLE=Novel gain of function approaches for vaccine candidate identification in Burkholderia pseudomallei

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cellular-and-infection-microbiology/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2012.00139

DOI=10.3389/fcimb.2012.00139

ISSN=2235-2988

ABSTRACT=<p>The Gram-negative bacterium <italic>Burkholderia pseudomallei</italic> is a serious environmental pathogen and the causative agent of the often fatal melioidosis. Disease occurs following exposure to contaminated water or soil, usually through cuts in the skin or via inhalation. However, the underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity remain poorly understood. <italic>B. pseudomallei</italic> is endemic to South East Asia and Northern Australia where infections are associated with antibiotic resistance and high mortality rates. Categorization of the pathogen as a potential biowarfare agent has also made research into vaccine development a high priority. Recent genome-scale screening has produced a large number of putative gene candidates from <italic>B. pseudomallei</italic> with the potential for development into vaccines. This mini-review will discuss the advantages and limitations of this novel approach, how these new techniques can complement existing strategies, and outline aims for future research.</p>