The environmental niche of Burkholderia multivorans: fitness school for a cystic fibrosis pathogen?

The present project aims to explore the environmental niche of Burkholderia multivorans and to determine its population structure. Comparative whole genome studies should reveal the presence of mobile genetic elements and allow to characterize their genetic determinants. These will be mapped on a large collection of environmental and clinical strains in order to reveal mechanisms of genetic adaptation in this cystic fibrosis pathogen.