Burkholderia pseudomallei (Bp) and Burkholderia mallei (Bm) cause the often-lethal infectious diseases melioidosis and glanders, respectively. Curiously, closely related species within the Bp complex share a nearly identical arsenal of virulence traits, yet are harmless to humans. Clues to the origin of virulence in this group can be found in their genetics and ecology. As a resident of the rhizosphere, Bp faces competition for nutrients and predation by other organisms. Adaptation over millennia has enabled Bp to accumulate mechanisms that overlap in their ability to promote fitness in the environment and virulence in mammals. Here, we review the ecology of Bp and its range of virulence attributes, and offer hypotheses on the evolution of virulence in the Bp complex which are relevant to other environmental pathogens.

中文翻译：

---

来自根际的毒力：伯克霍尔德菌假苹果复合体物种的生态和进化。

假伯克霍尔德氏菌（Bp）和马氏伯克霍尔德氏菌（Bm）分别引起经常致死的传染病，类鼻oid病和腺体。奇怪的是，Bp复合体中密切相关的物种具有几乎相同的毒力特性，但对人类无害。在他们的遗传学和生态学中可以找到有关该组毒力起源的线索。作为根际的居民，Bp面临着其他生物争夺养分和捕食的竞争。几千年来的适应使Bp积累了多种机制，这些机制在促进环境适应性和哺乳动物毒性方面具有重叠的能力。在这里，我们回顾了Bp的生态学及其毒力属性的范围，并提供了有关Bp复合物中毒力演变与其他环境病原体相关的假设。