title: Identification of the Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteriophage ST79 lysis gene cassette.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify and characterize the lysis gene cassette from the bacteriophage ST79 that lyses Burkholderia pseudomallei.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately 1·5 kb of ST79 lysis genes were identified from the phage genome data. It was composed of holin, peptidase M15A or endolysin, lysB and lysC. Each gene and its combinations were cloned into Escherichia coli and the lytic effects were measured. Co-expression of holin and peptidase M15A showed the highest lysis activity. Expression of holin, lysB/C or holin-peptidase M15A-lysB/lysC lysed the E. coli membrane, whereas peptidase M15A alone did not. The predicted transmembrane structures of holin and lysB/C indicated that they could be inserted into the bacterial membrane to form pores, affecting cell permeability and causing lysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report of an investigation into the lysis genes of B. pseudomallei's lytic phage using E. coli as a model.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Burkholderia pseudomallei, a Gram-negative bacterium causing an infectious disease, is intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics, and a vaccine is not available. The lysis genes of ST79, the first reported lytic bacteriophage of B. pseudomallei, were characterized. The development of ST79 as an alternative treatment for skin ulceration, for example, or to be used as a gene cloning tool for B. pseudomallei may be possible with this knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Melioidosis Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.|Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khakhum
authors.affiliation: Melioidosis Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.|Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Yordpratum
authors.affiliation: Melioidosis Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.|Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boonmee
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tattawasart
authors.affiliation: Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California - Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: J L M
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Melioidosis Research Center, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.|Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sermswan
mesh_terms: D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016957:Burkholderia pseudomallei / Q000235:genetics / Q000821:virology*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins; D010450:Endopeptidases; C001143:endolysin
keywords: bacteria; bacteriophages; diseases; enzymes; gene expression; lysis