[Molecular cloning and DNA sequencing of OspC gene of two strains Borrelia burgdorferi isolated in China].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the variation of OspC gene in two Chinese isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi.


METHODS
PCR technique was used to amplify the OspC gene from the whole cellular DNA of isolates BT01 and BJ-9011. The amplified products were inserted into plasmid pGEM-3ZF(+) and sequenced.


RESULTS
Except the signal peptide, the OspC genes of the two isolates BT01 and BJ-9011 were 579 bp and 576 bp which encode 193, 192 amino acids respectively. The nucleotide and amino acids sequence identity between the two strains was 86% and 83%. High homology exists between these Chinese isolates and several foreign isolates (PBi, PKo, B31), especially in BJ-9011. It had 99% nucleotide and amino acid sequence identified with B31.


CONCLUSIONS
Variations in OspC genes are noted between the two Chinese Borrelia burgdorferi isolates and foreign isolates.
Tong
Y
Y
Department of Experimental Medicine, 261 Hospital of PLA, Beijing.
Yang
X
X
Feng
F
F
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C079616:OspC protein