Menzies Art Gallery of Scientific Discovery
Burkholderia mayonis
Year: 2022
Medium: Acrylic on canvas, digital image
This painting represents the scientific discovery of the novel bacterium, Burkholderia mayonis, by researchers at Menzies School of Health Research.
In the centre is B. mayonis growing on agar. The icons surrounding the agar plate represent the people of the scientific community with the three largest icons representing the Menzies scientists involved in the discovery: Mirjam Kaestli, Bart Currie, and Mark Mayo, the namesake of the bacterium.
The orange dots surrounding the people is the colour for Menzies. Spreading from either side of the agar plate is the knowledge passed on to the greater community. The background of the painting represents the Gram-negative rods as seen under the microscope.
The negative space in the top left the corner is Badu Island in the Torres Strait, where the bacterium was first discovered, and bottom left is the Dhari (dancer’s headdress) and five-pointed star of the Torres Strait Islander flag.
(Artwork owned by Menzies School of Health Research)
About the bacterium
Burkholderia mayonis is a relative of the notorious pathogen, Burkholderia pseudomallei, which causes the tropical disease Melioidosis. This microbe can be found in soil and water and is particularly widespread throughout northern Australia and Southeast Asia. There are many species within the Burkholderia genus, some do not cause disease in humans or animals and are beneficial to the environment. However, the pathogenic species are classified as U.S. Tier 1 Select Agents for biowarfare as they have the potential to be weaponised through aerosols. Due to the possible danger and potential benefits of this group, new species are of great interest for research.
B. mayonis was found in a single sample 30cm deep in sandy, moist soil near stagnant water in an exposed root system on Badu Island in the Torres Strait Islands, Queensland.