Stability of erp loci during Borrelia burgdorferi infection: recombination is not required for chronic infection of immunocompetent mice

N El Hage; L D Lieto; B Stevenson

doi:10.1128/IAI.67.6.3146-3150.1999

Stability of erp loci during Borrelia burgdorferi infection: recombination is not required for chronic infection of immunocompetent mice

Infect Immun. 1999 Jun;67(6):3146-50. doi: 10.1128/IAI.67.6.3146-3150.1999.

Authors

N El Hage¹, L D Lieto, B Stevenson

Affiliation

¹ Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, 40536-0084, USA.

Abstract

Borrelia burgdorferi can persistently infect mammals despite their production of antibodies directed against bacterial proteins, including the Erp lipoproteins. We sequenced erp loci of bacteria reisolated from laboratory mice after 1 year of infection and found them to be identical to those of the inoculant bacteria. We conclude that recombination of erp genes is not essential for chronic mammalian infection.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Antigens, Bacterial*
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / genetics*
Bacterial Proteins*
Borrelia burgdorferi Group / genetics*
Chronic Disease
Immunocompetence
Lipoproteins / genetics*
Lyme Disease / immunology
Lyme Disease / microbiology*
Mice
Recombination, Genetic

Substances

Antigens, Bacterial
Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
Bacterial Proteins
Lipoproteins
OspE protein, Borrelia burgdorferi
OspF protein, Borrelia burgdorferi