OMICS approaches to reveal Burkholderia cenocepacia adaptive strategies to long-term residence in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients under antibiotic therapy

Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) bacteria are serious opportunistic pathogens, especially in immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The first epidemiological survey of Bcc bacteria involved in pulmonary infections among the CF population under surveillance at the major Portuguese CF Treatment Center at Santa Maria Hospital was published in 2000. Based on a collection of clinical isolates gathered during the epidemiological surveys and on indications from molecular microbiology studies, we are exploiting OMICS approaches (quantitative proteomics based on 2D-Difference Gel Electrophoresis — 2D-DIGE — and transcriptomic analysis) to compare the genomic expression programs of clonal isolates retrieved from chronically infected CF patients. The proteomes and the transcriptomes of the first B. cenocepacia isolate recovered from a CF patient and a clonal variant obtained after 3 years of persistent infection and following intravenous antibiotic therapy, were recently compared. Results are providing clues on molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial adaptation and resistance to the CF airways stressing environment, to host defense mechanisms and to therapeutically administered antibiotics.