The genus Burkholderia is a large group of species of bacteria that inhabit a wide range of environments. We previously recommended, based on multilocus sequence analysis, that the genus be separated into two distinct groups—one that consists predominantly of human, plant, and animal pathogens, including several opportunistic pathogens, and a second, much larger group of species comprising plant-associated beneficial and environmental species that are primarily known not to be pathogenic. This second group of species is found mainly in soils, frequently in association with plants as plant growth-promoting bacteria. They also possess genetic traits that bestow them with an added potential for agriculture and soil restoration, such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, iron sequestration, and xenobiotic degradation, and they are not pathogenic. In this review, we present an update of current information on this second group of Burkholderia species, with the goal of focusing attention on their use in agriculture and environmental remediation. We describe their distribution in the environment, their taxonomy and genetic features, and their relationship with plants as either associative nitrogen-fixers or legume-nodulating/nitrogen-fixing bacteria. We also propose that a concerted and coordinated effort be made by researchers on Burkholderia to determine if a definitive taxonomic split of this very large genus is justified, especially now as we describe here for the first time intermediate groups based upon their 16S rRNA sequences. We need to learn more about the plant-associated Burkholderia strains regarding their potential for pathogenicity, especially in those strains intermediate between the two groups, and to discover whether gene exchange occurs between the symbiotic and pathogenic Burkholderia species. The latter studies will require both field and laboratory analyses of gene loss and gain.

During a survey of Burkholderia species with potential use in agrobiotechnology, a group of 12 strains was isolated from the rhizosphere and rhizoplane of tomato plants growing in Mexico (Nepantla, Mexico State). A phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the strains are related to Burkholderia kururiensis and Burkholderia mimosarum (97.4 and 97.1 %, respectively). However, they induced effective nitrogen-fixing nodules on roots of Phaseolus vulgaris. Based on polyphasic taxonomy, the group of strains represents a novel species for which the name Burkholderia caballeronis sp. nov. is proposed. The type species is TNe-841(T) (= LMG 26416(T) = CIP 110324(T)).

The Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) comprises a group of 24 species, many of which are opportunistic pathogens of immunocompromised patients and also are widely distributed in agricultural soils. Several Bcc strains synthesize strain-specific antagonistic compounds. In this study, the broad killing activity of B. cenocepacia TAtl-371, a Bcc strain isolated from the tomato rhizosphere, was characterized. This strain exhibits a remarkable antagonism against bacteria, yeast and fungi including other Bcc strains, multidrug-resistant human pathogens and plant pathogens. Genome analysis of strain TAtl-371 revealed several genes involved in the production of antagonistic compounds: siderophores, bacteriocins and hydrolytic enzymes. In pursuit of these activities, we observed growth inhibition of Candida glabrata and Paraburkholderia phenazinium that was dependent on the iron concentration in the medium, suggesting the involvement of siderophores. This strain also produces a previously described lectin-like bacteriocin (LlpA88) and here this was shown to inhibit only Bcc strains but no other bacteria. Moreover, a compound with an m/z 391.2845 with antagonistic activity against Tatumella terrea SHS 2008^T was isolated from the TAtl-371 culture supernatant. This strain also contains a phage-tail-like bacteriocin (tailocin) and two chitinases, but the activity of these compounds was not detected. Nevertheless, the previous activities are not responsible for the whole antimicrobial spectrum of TAtl-371 seen on agar plates, suggesting the presence of other compounds yet to be found. In summary, we observed a diversified antimicrobial activity for strain TAtl-371 and believe it supports the biotechnological potential of this Bcc strain as a source of new antimicrobials.