Comparative analysis and immunological characterization of the Borrelia Bdr protein family.

ABSTRACT: Multiple circular and linear plasmids of Lyme disease and relapsing fever Borrelia spirochetes carry genes for members of the Bdr (Borrelia direct repeat) protein family. To define their common and divergent attributes, we first comprehensively compared the known homologs. Bdr proteins with predicted sizes ranging from 10.7 to 30. 6 kDa formed five homology groups, based on variable numbers of short direct repeats in a central domain and diverse N- and C-terminal domains. In a further characterization, Western blots were probed with rabbit antisera raised against either of two purified recombinant Bdr proteins from Borrelia burgdorferi B31. The results showed that antibodies cross-react and several Bdr paralogs 19.5 to 30.5 kDa in size are expressed by cultured strain B31 in a temperature-

SUBMITTER: Zuckert WR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC116504 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature