Menzies Art Gallery of Scientific Discovery
Burkholderia territorii
Year: 2022
Medium: Acrylic on canvas, digital image
This painting represents the scientific discovery of the novel bacterium, Burkholderia territorii, by researchers at Menzies School of Health Research.
In the centre, the bacteria are shown growing on agar. Surrounding the agar plate are icons representing the people of the scientific community involved with the discovery. The three largest people represent the researchers from Menzies key to the discovery: Mark Mayo, Mirjam Kaestli, and Bart Currie.
Encasing the people is the iconic Menzies orange. Spreading from either side of the agar plate is the knowledge passed on to the greater community. In the background of the painting are the pink Gram-negative cells of the bacteria as viewed under a microscope. The negative space in the top left corner is the Northern Territory, where the organism was first discovered.
(Artwork owned by Menzies School of Health Research)
About the bacterium
Burkholderia territorii is related to the notorious pathogen, Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of the tropical disease Melioidosis. It 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 of which can be pathogenic to plants, animals, and immunocompromised people, and others have the potential to be used to promote plant growth or bioremediation.
During ongoing environmental surveys for B. pseudomallei in the Northern Territory, an entirely new species of the genus was found in groundwater and named B. territorii after its place of discovery. B. territorii is not currently known to be infectious to humans and further research has shown it to have a mutualistic relationship with some plant species.