The dbpBA locus of Borrelia burgdorferi is not essential for infection of mice.
The Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi expresses a broad array of adhesive molecules, including the decorin-binding proteins A and B (DbpA and DbpB), which are believed to play important roles in mammalian infection. The dbpBA locus was deleted; resulting mutants were able to infect both immunodeficient and immunocompetent mice, indicating that neither DbpA nor DbpB is essential for the infection of mammals, although the DbpAB deficiency may significantly attenuate infectivity potential.
Shi
Yanlin
Y
Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Skip Bertman Drive at River Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
Xu
Qilong
Q
Seemanapalli
Sunita V
SV
McShan
Kristy
K
Liang
Fang Ting
FT
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000235:genetics* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005819:Genetic Markers; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009154:Mutation
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; C112557:DdpB protein, Borrelia burgdorferi; D005819:Genetic Markers