title: Antigenic variation in Borrelia.
abstract: Antigenic variation was demonstrated for the agent of relapsing fever, Borrelia hermsii. The phenomenon is correlated with changes in major surface proteins called Vmp. The genes encoding these antigens are located on linear plasmids. Expression occurs by transposition of genes encoding Vmp to a telomeric expression site located on another linear plasmid. Activation of a vmp gene occurs by placing it downstream from a promoter. Resemblance to the antigenic variation of trypanosomes is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Unité des Leptospires, Institut Pasteur, Paris.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saint Girons
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Barbour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000940:Antigenic Variation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D001898:Borrelia / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001899:Borrelia Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins