Temporal analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi Erp protein expression throughout the mammal-tick infectious cycle.
Previous immunological studies indicated that the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, expresses Erp outer surface proteins during mammalian infection. We conducted analyses of Erp expression throughout the entire tick-mammal infectious cycle, which revealed that the bacteria regulate Erp production in vivo. Bacteria within unfed nymphal ticks expressed little to no Erp proteins. However, as infected ticks fed on mice, B. burgdorferi increased production of Erp proteins, with essentially all transmitted bacteria expressing these proteins. Mice infected with B. burgdorferi mounted rapid IgM responses to all tested Erp proteins, followed by strong immunoglobulin G responses that generally increased in intensity throughout 11 months of infection, suggesting continued exposure of Erp proteins to the host immune system throughout chronic infection. As naive tick larvae acquired B. burgdorferi by feeding on infected mice, essentially all transmitted bacteria produced Erp proteins, also suggestive of continual Erp expression during mammalian infection. Shortly after the larvae acquired bacteria, Erp production was drastically downregulated. The expression of Erp proteins on B. burgdorferi throughout mammalian infection is consistent with their hypothesized function as factor H-binding proteins that protect the bacteria from host innate immune responses.
Miller
Jennifer C
JC
Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0298, USA. JCMILL4@uky.edu
von Lackum
Kate
K
Babb
Kelly
K
McAlister
Jason D
JD
Stevenson
Brian
B
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005260:Female; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000382:microbiology; D018884:Ixodes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D007814:Larva / Q000382:microbiology; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009758:Nymph / Q000382:microbiology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; C079616:OspC protein; C084998:OspE protein, Borrelia burgdorferi