title: Loss of plasmids of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato during prolonged in vitro cultivation.
abstract: In the present study we analyzed stability of plasmid content in 34 Borrelia strains of three different species (13 Borrelia afzelii, 10 Borrelia garinii and 11 Borrelia burgodorferi sensu stricto) using pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). During long-term in vitro cultivation consisting of 50 passages, plasmid loss was established in 46% of B. afzelii, 40% of B. garinii and 36% of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strains. Loss of plasmids occurred as early as between the 5th and 10th passage, affected only plasmids in the range 9-41 kb but not plasmids in the range 50-68 kb and manifested with the loss of one to up to three plasmids.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloška Cesta 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. urska.glinsek@mf.uni-lj.si
authors.forename: Urška Glinšek
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Biškup
authors.forename: Franc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Strle
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ružić-Sabljić
mesh_terms: D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D010957:Plasmids / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D012692:Serial Passage; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial