Outer surface protein C is a dissemination-facilitating factor of Borrelia burgdorferi during mammalian infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi dramatically upregulates outer surface protein C (OspC) in response to fresh bloodmeal during transmission from the tick vector to a mammal, and abundantly produces the antigen during early infection. As OspC is an effective immune target, to evade the immune system B. burgdorferi downregulates the antigen once the anti-OspC humoral response has developed, suggesting an important role for OspC during early infection.

Methodology/principal findings

In this study, a borrelial mutant producing an OspC antigen with a 5-amino-acid deletion was generated. The deletion didn't significantly increase the 50% infectious dose or reduce the tissue bacterial burden during infection of the murine host, indicating that the truncat

SUBMITTER: Seemanapalli SV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3013124 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature