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Biofilm Genetics Of Burkholderia Cenocepacia, Laura C. Benton

Master's Theses and Capstones

Burkholderia cenocepacia is a soil bacterium and opportunistic human pathogen found to infect the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. One factor that may allow B. cenocepacia to persist in the CF lung and continue to cause a decline in lung function is its ability to form biofilms. Little is known about the genetic mechanisms allowing this bacterium to transition from an acute to a chronic (biofilm) lifestyle. I used both transposon mutagenesis and positive laboratory selection to identify mutations that increase biofilm production. Mutations affecting capsule polysaccharide synthesis were identified, among others, by random mutagenesis to confer an increased …