Transgenic expression of RecA of the spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi and Borrelia hermsii in Escherichia coli revealed differences in DNA repair and recombination phenotypes.

ABSTRACT: After unsuccessful attempts to recover a viable RecA-deficient mutant of the Lyme borreliosis agent Borrelia burgdorferi, we characterized the functional activities of RecA of B. burgdorferi, as well as RecA of the relapsing fever spirochete Borrelia hermsii and the free-living spirochete Leptospira biflexa, in a recA mutant of Escherichia coli. As a control, E. coli RecA was expressed from the same plasmid vector. DNA damage repair activity was assessed after exposure of the transgenic cells to UV light or the radiomimetic chemicals methyl methanesulfonate and mitomycin C. Recombination activity in the cells was assessed by using an assay for homologous recombination between repeats in the chromosome and by measuring the ability of the cells to foster lytic growth by red gam mutant bacter

SUBMITTER: Putteet-Driver AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC412116 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature