Potential Regulatory Role in Mammalian Host Adaptation for a Small Intergenic Region of Lp17 in the Lyme Disease Spirochete.

ABSTRACT: The bacterial agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, relies on an intricate gene regulatory network to transit between the disparate Ixodes tick vector and mammalian host environments. We recently reported that a B. burgdorferi mutant lacking a transcriptionally active intergenic region of lp17 displayed attenuated murine tissue colonization and pathogenesis due to altered expression of multiple antigens. In this study, a more detailed characterization of the putative regulatory factor encoded by the intergenic region was pursued. In cis complemented strains featuring mutations aimed at eliminating potential protein translation were capable of full tissue colonization, suggesting that the functional product encoded by the intergenic region is not a protein

SUBMITTER: Crowley MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9108270 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature