Development of a sequence-based in silico OspA typing method for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.

ABSTRACT: Lyme disease (LD), caused by spirochete bacteria of the genus Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, remains the most common vector-borne disease in the northern hemisphere. Borrelia outer surface protein A (OspA) is an integral surface protein expressed during the tick cycle, and a validated vaccine target. There are at least 20 recognized Borrelia genospecies, that vary in OspA serotype. This study presents a new in silico sequence-based method for OspA typing using next-generation sequence data. Using a compiled database of over 400 Borrelia genomes encompassing the 4 most common disease-causing genospecies, we characterized OspA diversity in a manner that can accommodate existing and new OspA types and then defined boundaries for classification and assignme

SUBMITTER: Lee JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11165634 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature