Developing Culture-Based Methods to Assess the Function of Burkholderia Sensu Lato in Pitcher Plants
Publication Date
2026
College
College of Natural Resources & Sciences
Department
Biological Sciences
Document Type
Poster
Description
Pitcher plants are host to a diverse array of microorganisms, one of which is Burkholderia sensu lato. Burkholderia s.l. is a group of bacteria that is positively associated with function in the pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea, though the mechanisms behind this functionality are poorly understood. In this study, I developed a culture-based method to isolate Burkholderia s.l. from a larger microbial community. I then characterized the Burkholderia isolates’ cellular morphology, oxygen requirements, motility, and nitrate reduction potential. I found that the characteristics of Burkholderia s.l. isolated from Sarracenia sp. diverges from that proposed in the literature.
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