Genetic divergence and evolutionary instability in ospE-related members of the upstream homology box gene family in Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex isolates.

ABSTRACT: A series of related genes that are flanked at their 5' ends by a conserved upstream sequence element called the upstream homology box (UHB) have been identified in Borrelia burgdorferi. These genes have been referred to as the UHB or erp gene family. We previously demonstrated that among a limited number of B. burgdorferi isolates, the UHB gene family is variable in composition and organization. Prior to this report the UHB gene family in other species of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex had not been studied, and if this family is important in the pathogenesis or biology of the Lyme disease spirochetes, then a wide distribution among species and isolates of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex would be expected. To assess this, we screened for the UHB element by Southern hybridizatio

SUBMITTER: Sung SY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC108573 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature