Functional Equivalence of OspA and OspB, but Not OspC, in Tick Colonization by Borrelia burgdorferi.

ABSTRACT: Borrelia burgdorferi, a Lyme disease agent, makes different major outer surface lipoproteins at different stages of its mouse-tick infectious cycle. Outer surface protein A (OspA) coats the spirochetes from the time they enter ticks until they are transmitted to a mammal. OspA is required for normal tick colonization and has been shown to bind a tick midgut protein, indicating that OspA may serve as a tick midgut adhesin. Tick colonization by spirochetes lacking OspA is increased when the infecting blood meal is derived from mice that do not produce antibody, indicating that OspA may protect the spirochetes from host antibody, which will not recognize tick-specific proteins such as OspA. To further study the importance of OspA during tick colonization, we constructed a form of B. burgdorfe

SUBMITTER: Tilly K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4862709 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature