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Abstract Background A major facilitator superfamily transporter Dehp2 was recently shown to be playing an important role in transport and biodegradation of haloacids in Paraburkholderia caribensis MBA4, and Dehp2 is phylogenetically conserved in Burkholderia sensu lato. Results We designed both Burkholderia sensu stricto-specific and Paraburkholderia-specific qPCR assays based on dehp2 and 16S rRNA, and validated the qPCR assays in 12 bacterial strains. The qPCR assays could detect single species of Burkholderia sensu stricto or Paraburkholderia with high sensitivity and discriminate them in mixtures with high specificity over a wide dynamic range of relative concentrations. At relatively lower cost compared with sequencing-based approach, the qPCR assays will facilitate discrimination of Burkholderia sensu stricto and Paraburkholderia in a large number of samples. Conclusions For the first time, we report the utilization of a haloacids transporter gene for discriminative purpose in Burkholderia sensu lato. This enables not only quick decision on proper handling of putative pathogenic samples in Burkholderia sensu stricto group but also future exploitation of relevant species in Paraburkholderia group for haloacids biodegradation purposes.

Haloacids are considered to be environmental pollutants, but some of them have also been tested in clinical research. The way that haloacids are transported across biological membranes is important for both biodegradation and drug delivery purposes. In this review, we will first summarize putative haloacids transporters and the information about haloacids transport when studying carboxylates transporters. We will then introduce MCT1 and SLC5A8, which are respective transporter for antitumor agent 3-bromopyruvic acid and dichloroacetic acid, and monochloroacetic acid transporters Deh4p and Dehp2 from a haloacids-degrading bacterium. Phylogenetic analysis of these haloacids transporters and other monocarboxylate transporters reveals their evolutionary relationships. Haloacids transporters are not studied to the extent that they deserve compared with their great application potentials, thus future inter-discipline research are desired to better characterize their transport mechanisms for potential applications in both environmental and clinical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradation is an effective way to remove environmental pollutants haloacids, and haloacids uptake is an important step besides cytoplasmic dehalogenation. Previous study has identified a robust haloacids transport system in Burkholderia caribensis MBA4 with two homologous genes deh4p and dehp2 as major players. Both genes are inducible by monochloroacetate (MCA), and dehp2 is conserved among the Burkholderia genus with a two component system upstream. Here we show that dehp2 is not in the same operon with the upstream two component system, and fusion with lacZ confirmed the presence of MCA-inducible promoter activity in the 228 bp upstream non-coding region of dehp2 . Serial deletion confirmed 112 bp upstream is enough for basic promoter activity, but sequence further upstream is useful for enhanced promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay of the 228 bp region showed a retardation complex with stronger hybridization in the induced condition, suggesting a positive regulation pattern. Regulator(s) binding region was found to lie between − 228 to − 113 bp of dehp2 . Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the expressions of dehp2 orthologs in three other Burkholderia species were also MCA-inducible, similar as dehp2 . The 5′ non-coding regions of these dehp2 orthologs have high sequence similarity with dehp2 promoter, and 100 bp upstream of dehp2 orthologs is especially conserved. Our study identified a promoter of haloacids transporter gene that is conserved in the Burkholderia genus, which will benefit future exploitation of them for effective biodegradation of haloacids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A major facilitator superfamily transporter Dehp2 was recently shown to be playing an important role in transport and biodegradation of haloacids in Paraburkholderia caribensis MBA4, and Dehp2 is phylogenetically conserved in Burkholderia sensu lato. Results: We designed both Burkholderia sensu stricto-specific and Paraburkholderia-specific qPCR assays based on dehp2 and 16S rRNA, and validated the qPCR assays in 12 bacterial strains. The qPCR assays could detect single species of Burkholderia sensu stricto or Paraburkholderia with high sensitivity and discriminate them in mixtures with high specificity over a wide dynamic range of relative concentrations. At relatively lower cost compared with sequencing-based approach, the qPCR assays will facilitate discrimination of Burkholderia sensu stricto and Paraburkholderia in a large number of samples. Conclusions: For the first time, we report the utilization of a haloacids transporter gene for discriminative purpose in Burkholderia sensu lato. This enables not only quick decision on proper handling of putative pathogenic samples in Burkholderia sensu stricto group but also future exploitation of relevant species in Paraburkholderia group for haloacids biodegradation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]