Enhancement of OspC expression by Borrelia burgdorferi in the presence of tick hemolymph.
Borrelia burgdorferi B31 cultured at 28 degrees C was used to assay the effects of tick hemolymph on outer surface protein C (OspC) surface expression. Using immunofluorescence, OspC surface expression was shown to increase in cultures treated with hemolymph from both Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis, while control samples (non-hemolymph treated) showed no increase in the levels of OspC. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis also showed an increase in OspC from spirochetes exposed to tick hemolymph. In addition, a lower-molecular-mass protein band of unknown identity was also enhanced in the hemolymph-exposed spirochetes. The significance of these effects of tick hemolymph on B. burgdorferi outer surface protein expression is unknown.
Johns
R H
RH
Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529-0266, USA.
Sonenshine
D E
DE
Hynes
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WL
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000378:metabolism*; D003870:Dermacentor; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006458:Hemolymph; D018884:Ixodes; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C079616:OspC protein