Borrelia burgdorferi
Molecular Pathogenesis | SpotlightThe BB0345 Hypothetical Protein of Borrelia burgdorferi Is Essential for Mammalian InfectionDuring the natural enzootic life cycle of Borrelia burgdorferi (also known as Borreliella burgdorferi), the bacteria must sense conditions within the vertebrate and arthropod and appropriately regulate expression of genes necessary to persist within these distinct environments. bb0345 of...
Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular InteractionsAn Ixodes scapularis Protein Disulfide Isomerase Contributes to Borrelia burgdorferi Colonization of the VectorBorrelia burgdorferi causes Lyme disease, the most common tick-transmitted illness in North America. When Ixodes scapularis feed on an infected vertebrate host, spirochetes enter the tick gut along with the bloodmeal and colonize the vector. Here, we show that a secreted tick protein,...
Host Response and Inflammation | SpotlightRegulatory T Cells Contribute to Resistance against Lyme ArthritisThe symptoms of Lyme disease are caused by inflammation induced by species of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex. The various presentations of Lyme disease in the population suggest that differences exist in the intensity and regulation of the host response to the spirochete. Previous work has described correlations between the presence of regulatory...
Molecular PathogenesisThe Lon-1 Protease Is Required by Borrelia burgdorferi To Infect the Mammalian HostBorrelia burgdorferi encodes a functional homolog of canonical Lon protease termed Lon-2. In addition, B. burgdorferi encodes a second Lon homolog called Lon-1. Recent studies suggest that Lon-1 may function differently from the prototypical Lon protease. However, the function of Lon-1 in...
Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular InteractionsStructural and Biomolecular Analyses of Borrelia burgdorferi BmpD Reveal a Substrate-Binding Protein of an ABC-Type Nucleoside Transporter FamilyBorrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of tick-borne Lyme borreliosis (LB), has a limited metabolic capacity and needs to acquire nutrients, such as amino acids, fatty acids, and nucleic acids, from the host environment. Using X-ray crystallography, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, microscale thermophoresis, and cellular localization...
Bacterial Infections | SpotlightGenerality of Post-Antimicrobial Treatment Persistence of Borrelia burgdorferi Strains N40 and B31 in Genetically Susceptible and Resistant Mouse StrainsA basic feature of infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme borreliosis, is that persistent infection is the rule in its many hosts. The ability to persist and evade host immune clearance poses a challenge to effective antimicrobial treatment. A link between therapy failure and the presence of persister cells has started to emerge.
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Microbial Immunity and VaccinesDelineating Surface Epitopes of Lyme Disease Pathogen Targeted by Highly Protective Antibodies of New Zealand White RabbitsLyme disease (LD), the most prevalent vector-borne illness in the United States and Europe, is caused by Borreliella burgdorferi. No vaccine is available for humans. Dogmatically, B. burgdorferi can establish a persistent infection in the mammalian host (e.g., mice) due to a surface antigen, VlsE....
Cellular Microbiology: Pathogen-Host Cell Molecular InteractionsNew Zealand White Rabbits Effectively Clear Borrelia burgdorferi B31 despite the Bacterium’s Functional vlsE Antigenic Variation SystemBorrelia burgdorferi is a tick-borne bacterium responsible for approximately 300,000 annual cases of Lyme disease (LD) in the United States, with increasing incidences in other parts of the world. The debilitating nature of LD is mainly attributed to the ability of B. burgdorferi to persist in...
Bacterial Infections | SpotlightBorrelia burgdorferi bbk13 Is Critical for Spirochete Population Expansion in the Skin during Early InfectionLyme disease is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted via the bite of an infected tick. B. burgdorferi enters the skin, disseminates via the bloodstream, and infects various distal tissues, leading to inflammatory sequelae, such as Lyme arthritis and Lyme carditis.
...- Bacterial InfectionsShort-Chain Fatty Acids Alter Metabolic and Virulence Attributes of Borrelia burgdorferi
Borrelia burgdorferi responds to a variety of host-derived factors and appropriately alters its gene expression for adaptation under different host-specific conditions. We previously showed that various levels of acetate, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), altered the protein profile of B. burgdorferi...