Burkholderia cenocepacia is a multi-drug resistant, opportunistic pathogen infecting those with Cystic Fibrosis and immunocompromised individuals. The membrane is fairly impermeable partially due to a barrier formed by a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) layer on the outer-membrane, localized by the protein BCAL0894. In order to increase the permeability of the outer-membrane, our lab is investigating several different BCAL0894 gene mutations while decreasing the expression of wild-type protein, with the goal of decreasing the overall activity of BCAL0894. Decreased activity of BCAL0894 should localize less LPS in the outer-membrane, creating a more permeable membrane for antibiotic susceptibility. We are now engineering B. cenocepacia strains that each carry a different BCAL0894 gene mutation inserted into the genome utilizing homologous recombination to test for increased permeability.

Increasing the permeability of Burkholderia cenocepacia by inserting targeted genomic mutations

245th National Meeting (2013)

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