Burkholderia are a multi-faceted group of bacteria with considerable genetic and metabolic diversity and very versatile lifestyles. Some species are regarded as beneficial, as they possess traits, such as an ability to promote plant growth, kill pest organisms, fix nitrogen, and degrade man-made pollutants. Others, however, are important pathogens and include species such as B. mallei and B. pseudomallei, considered to be potential biological weapons. The application of high-throughput sequencing and 'omics' technologies in recent years has allowed research on Burkholderia species to advance...