Effect of colony morphology variation of Burkholderia pseudomallei on intracellular survival and resistance to antimicrobial environments in human macrophages in vitro

Sarunporn Tandhavanant, Aunchalee Thanwisai, Direk Limmathurotsakul, Sunee Korbsrisate, Nicholas Pj Day, Sharon J. Peacock, Narisara Chantratita

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background. Primary diagnostic cultures from patients with melioidosis demonstrate variation in colony morphology of the causative organism, Burkholderia pseudomallei. Variable morphology is associated with changes in the expression of a range of putative virulence factors. This study investigated the effect of B. pseudomallei colony variation on survival in the human macrophage cell line U937 and under laboratory conditions simulating conditions within the macrophage milieu. Isogenic colony morphology types II and III were generated from 5 parental type I B. pseudomallei isolates using nutritional limitation. Survival of types II and III were compared with type I for all assays. Results. Morphotype was associated with survival in the presence of H2O2and antimicrobial peptide LL-37, but not with susceptibility to acid, acidified sodium nitrite, or resistance to lysozyme, lactoferrin, human neutrophil peptide-1 or human beta defensin-2. Incubation under anaerobic conditions was a strong driver for switching of type III to an alternative morphotype. Differences were noted in the survival and replication of the three types following uptake by human macrophages, but marked strain-to strain-variability was observed. Uptake of type III alone was associated with colony morphology switching. Conclusions. Morphotype is associated with phenotypes that alter the ability of B. pseudomallei to survive in adverse environmental conditions.

Original languageEnglish
Article number303
JournalBMC Microbiology
Volume10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2010

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Effect of colony morphology variation of Burkholderia pseudomallei on intracellular survival and resistance to antimicrobial environments in human macrophages in vitro'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this