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Krusenstjerna AC, Jusufovic N, Saylor TC, Stevenson B. DnaA modulates gene expression and morphologyof the Lyme Disease spirochete. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.08.598065. [PMID: 38895450 PMCID: PMC11185795 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.08.598065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
All bacteria encode a multifunctional DNA-binding protein, DnaA, which initiates chromosomal replication. Despite having the most complex, segmented bacterial genome, little is known about Borrelia burgdorferi DnaA and its role in maintaining the spirochete's physiology. We utilized inducible CRISPR-interference and overexpression to modulate cellular levels of DnaA to better understand this essential protein. Dysregulation of DnaA, either up or down, significantly slowed replication and increased or decreased cell lengths. Using fluorescent microscopy, we found the DnaA CRISPRi mutants had increased numbers of chromosomes with irregular spacing patterns. The DnaA-depleted spirochetes also exhibited a significant defect in helical morphology. RNA-seq of the conditional mutants showed significant changes in the levels of transcripts involved with flagellar synthesis, elongation, cell division, virulence, and other functions. These findings demonstrate that the DnaA plays a commanding role in maintaining borrelial growth dynamics and protein expression, which are essential for the survival of the Lyme disease spirochete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Krusenstjerna
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Nerina Jusufovic
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Timothy C Saylor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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2
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Thomas S, Schulz AM, Leong JM, Zeczycki TN, Garcia BL. The molecular determinants of classical pathway complement inhibition by OspEF-related proteins of Borrelia burgdorferi. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107236. [PMID: 38552741 PMCID: PMC11066524 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The complement system serves as the first line of defense against invading pathogens by promoting opsonophagocytosis and bacteriolysis. Antibody-dependent activation of complement occurs through the classical pathway and relies on the activity of initiating complement proteases of the C1 complex, C1r and C1s. The causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, expresses two paralogous outer surface lipoproteins of the OspEF-related protein family, ElpB and ElpQ, that act as specific inhibitors of classical pathway activation. We have previously shown that ElpB and ElpQ bind directly to C1r and C1s with high affinity and specifically inhibit C2 and C4 cleavage by C1s. To further understand how these novel protease inhibitors function, we carried out a series of hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) experiments using ElpQ and full-length activated C1s as a model of Elp-protease interaction. Comparison of HDX-MS profiles between unbound ElpQ and the ElpQ/C1s complex revealed a putative C1s-binding site on ElpQ. HDX-MS-guided, site-directed ElpQ mutants were generated and tested for direct binding to C1r and C1s using surface plasmon resonance. Several residues within the C-terminal region of ElpQ were identified as important for protease binding, including a single conserved tyrosine residue that was required for ElpQ- and ElpB-mediated complement inhibition. Collectively, our study identifies key molecular determinants for classical pathway protease recognition by Elp proteins. This investigation improves our understanding of the unique complement inhibitory mechanism employed by Elp proteins which serve as part of a sophisticated complement evasion system present in Lyme disease spirochetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheila Thomas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anna M Schulz
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - John M Leong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tonya N Zeczycki
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
| | - Brandon L Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
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3
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Strnad M, Rudenko N, Rego RO. Pathogenicity and virulence of Borrelia burgdorferi. Virulence 2023; 14:2265015. [PMID: 37814488 PMCID: PMC10566445 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2023.2265015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi often triggers pathophysiologic perturbations that are further augmented by the inflammatory responses of the host, resulting in the severe clinical conditions of Lyme disease. While our apprehension of the spatial and temporal integration of the virulence determinants during the enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi is constantly being improved, there is still much to be discovered. Many of the novel virulence strategies discussed in this review are undetermined. Lyme disease spirochaetes must surmount numerous molecular and mechanical obstacles in order to establish a disseminated infection in a vertebrate host. These barriers include borrelial relocation from the midgut of the feeding tick to its body cavity and further to the salivary glands, deposition to the skin, haematogenous dissemination, extravasation from blood circulation system, evasion of the host immune responses, localization to protective niches, and establishment of local as well as distal infection in multiple tissues and organs. Here, the various well-defined but also possible novel strategies and virulence mechanisms used by B. burgdorferi to evade obstacles laid out by the tick vector and usually the mammalian host during colonization and infection are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Strnad
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, Czech Republic
| | - Natalie Rudenko
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan O.M. Rego
- Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, Czech Republic
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4
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Stevenson B. The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, as a model vector-borne pathogen: insights on regulation of gene and protein expression. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 74:102332. [PMID: 37279610 PMCID: PMC10524203 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The Lyme disease spirochete persists in nature through cycles between ticks and vertebrates. Although the spirochete interacts with numerous, distinct tissues and environmental conditions during its infectious cycle, Borrelia burgdorferi appears to possess a limited ability to sense its external environment. This apparent paradox is being resolved through detailed investigations of the molecular mechanisms through which B. burgdorferi controls production of virulence-associated factors such as the Erp outer surface proteins. The results have led to development of a model for how B. burgdorferi controls expression of its diverse proteins, wherein physiological and metabolic states that are unique to specific points in the infectious cycle trigger changes in gene and protein expression levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA; Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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5
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Stevenson B, Brissette CA. Erp and Rev Adhesins of the Lyme Disease Spirochete's Ubiquitous cp32 Prophages Assist the Bacterium during Vertebrate Infection. Infect Immun 2023; 91:e0025022. [PMID: 36853019 PMCID: PMC10016077 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00250-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Almost all spirochetes in the genus Borrelia (sensu lato) naturally contain multiple variants of closely related prophages. In the Lyme disease borreliae, these prophages are maintained as circular episomes that are called circular plasmid 32 kb (cp32s). The cp32s of Lyme agents are particularly unique in that they encode two distinct families of lipoproteins, namely, Erp and Rev, that are expressed on the bacterial outer surface during infection of vertebrate hosts. All identified functions of those outer surface proteins involve interactions between the spirochetes and host molecules, as follows: Erp proteins bind plasmin(ogen), laminin, glycosaminoglycans, and/or components of complement and Rev proteins bind fibronectin. Thus, cp32 prophages provide their bacterial hosts with surface proteins that can enhance infection processes, thereby facilitating their own survival. Horizontal transfer via bacteriophage particles increases the spread of beneficial alleles and creates diversity among Erp and Rev proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Catherine A. Brissette
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
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6
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Rana VS, Kitsou C, Dumler JS, Pal U. Immune evasion strategies of major tick-transmitted bacterial pathogens. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:62-75. [PMID: 36055896 PMCID: PMC9772108 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2022.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Tick-transmitted bacterial pathogens thrive in enzootic infection cycles, colonizing disparate vertebrate and arthropod tissues, often establishing persistent infections. Therefore, the evolution of robust immune evasion strategies is central to their successful persistence or transmission between hosts. To survive in nature, these pathogens must counteract a broad range of microbicidal host responses that can be localized, tissue-specific, or systemic, including a mix of these responses at the host-vector interface. Herein, we review microbial immune evasion strategies focusing on Lyme disease spirochetes and rickettsial or tularemia agents as models for extracellular and intracellular tick-borne pathogens, respectively. A better understanding of these adaptive strategies could enrich our knowledge of the infection biology of relevant tick-borne diseases, contributing to the development of future preventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin Singh Rana
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Chrysoula Kitsou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - J Stephen Dumler
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
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7
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Garrigues RJ, Thomas S, Leong JM, Garcia BL. Outer surface lipoproteins from the Lyme disease spirochete exploit the molecular switch mechanism of the complement protease C1s. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102557. [PMID: 36183830 PMCID: PMC9637899 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolytic cascades comprise several important physiological systems, including a primary arm of innate immunity called the complement cascade. To safeguard against complement-mediated attack, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borreliella burgdorferi, produces numerous outer surface-localized lipoproteins that contribute to successful complement evasion. Recently, we discovered a pair of B. burgdorferi surface lipoproteins of the OspEF-related protein family-termed ElpB and ElpQ-that inhibit antibody-mediated complement activation. In this study, we investigate the molecular mechanism of ElpB and ElpQ complement inhibition using an array of biochemical and biophysical approaches. In vitro assays of complement activation show that an independently folded homologous C-terminal domain of each Elp protein maintains full complement inhibitory activity and selectively inhibits the classical pathway. Using binding assays and complement component C1s enzyme assays, we show that binding of Elp proteins to activated C1s blocks complement component C4 cleavage by competing with C1s-C4 binding without occluding the active site. C1s-mediated C4 cleavage is dependent on activation-induced binding sites, termed exosites. To test whether these exosites are involved in Elp-C1s binding, we performed site-directed mutagenesis, which showed that ElpB and ElpQ binding require C1s residues in the anion-binding exosite located on the serine protease domain of C1s. Based on these results, we propose a model whereby ElpB and ElpQ exploit activation-induced conformational changes that are normally important for C1s-mediated C4 cleavage. Our study expands the known complement evasion mechanisms of microbial pathogens and reveals a novel molecular mechanism for selective C1s inhibition by Lyme disease spirochetes.
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8
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Stevenson B, Krusenstjerna AC, Castro-Padovani TN, Savage CR, Jutras BL, Saylor TC. The Consistent Tick-Vertebrate Infectious Cycle of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Enables Borrelia burgdorferi To Control Protein Expression by Monitoring Its Physiological Status. J Bacteriol 2022; 204:e0060621. [PMID: 35380872 PMCID: PMC9112904 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00606-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, persists in nature by alternatingly cycling between ticks and vertebrates. During each stage of the infectious cycle, B. burgdorferi produces surface proteins that are necessary for interactions with the tick or vertebrate tissues it encounters while also repressing the synthesis of unnecessary proteins. Among these are the Erp surface proteins, which are produced during vertebrate infection for interactions with host plasmin, laminin, glycosaminoglycans, and components of the complement system. Erp proteins are not expressed during tick colonization but are induced when the tick begins to ingest blood from a vertebrate host, a time when the bacteria undergo rapid growth and division. Using the erp genes as a model of borrelial gene regulation, our research group has identified three novel DNA-binding proteins that interact with DNA to control erp transcription. At least two of those regulators are, in turn, affected by DnaA, the master regulator of chromosome replication. Our data indicate that B. burgdorferi has evolved to detect the change from slow to rapid replication during tick feeding as a signal to begin expression of Erp and other vertebrate-specific proteins. The majority of other known regulatory factors of B. burgdorferi also respond to metabolic cues. These observations lead to a model in which the Lyme spirochete recognizes unique environmental conditions encountered during the infectious cycle to "know" where they are and adapt accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Andrew C. Krusenstjerna
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Tatiana N. Castro-Padovani
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Christina R. Savage
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Brandon L. Jutras
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
| | - Timothy C. Saylor
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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9
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Bista S, Singh P, Bernard Q, Yang X, Hart T, Lin YP, Kitsou C, Singh Rana V, Zhang F, Linhardt RJ, Zhnag K, Akins DR, Hritzo L, Kim Y, Grab DJ, Dumler JS, Pal U. A Novel Laminin-Binding Protein Mediates Microbial-Endothelial Cell Interactions and Facilitates Dissemination of Lyme Disease Pathogens. J Infect Dis 2021; 221:1438-1447. [PMID: 31758693 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi conserved gene products BB0406 and BB0405, members of a common B. burgdorferi paralogous gene family, share 59% similarity. Although both gene products can function as potential porins, only BB0405 is essential for infection. Here we show that, despite sequence homology and coexpression from the same operon, both proteins differ in their membrane localization attributes, antibody accessibility, and immunogenicity in mice. BB0406 is required for spirochete survival in mammalian hosts, particularly for the disseminated infection in distant organs. We identified that BB0406 interacts with laminin, one of the major constituents of the vascular basement membrane, and facilitates spirochete transmigration across host endothelial cell barriers. A better understanding of how B. burgdorferi transmigrates through dermal and tissue vascular barriers and establishes disseminated infections will contribute to the development of novel therapeutics to combat early infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Bista
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Preeti Singh
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Quentin Bernard
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Xiuli Yang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas Hart
- Department of Biological Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Wadsworth Center New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Yi-Pin Lin
- Department of Biological Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA.,Department of Biomedical Science, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Chrysoula Kitsou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Vipin Singh Rana
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Fuming Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
| | - Robert J Linhardt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA.,Department of Biology and Biomedical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, USA
| | - Kai Zhnag
- Oral and Craniofacial Molecular Biology, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Darrin R Akins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Lucy Hritzo
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Yuri Kim
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Dennis J Grab
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - J Stephen Dumler
- Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA.,Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, Maryland
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Abi ME, Ji Z, Jian M, Dai X, Bai R, Ding Z, Luo L, Chen T, Wang F, Wen S, Zhou G, Bao F, Liu A. Molecular Interactions During Borrelia burgdorferi Migration from the Vector to the Mammalian Nervous System. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2021; 21:517-526. [PMID: 31613726 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666191015145714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Lyme disease (LD) is an infectious disease caused by the spirochetes of genus borrelia, which are transmitted by the ticks of the genus ixodes. LD is transmitted by the spirochete B. burgdorferi sensu lato. Once in contact with the host through a tick bite, the pathogen comes into contact with the host defense, and must escape this machinery to establish LD, thus using a large number of mechanisms involving the vector of the pathogen, the pathogen itself and also the host. The initial diagnosis of the disease can be made based on the clinical symptoms of LD and the disease can be treated and cured with antibiotics if the diagnosis is made early in the beginning of the disease. Contrariwise, if LD is left untreated, the pathogen disseminates throughout the tissues and organs of the body, where it establishes different types of disease manifestations. In the nervous system, the inflammation caused by B. burgdorferi is known as Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB). LNB is one of the principal manifestations of LD. In this review, we systematically describe the different molecular interactions among B. burgdorferi, the vector (tick) and the mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manzama-Esso Abi
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhenhua Ji
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Miaomiao Jian
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xiting Dai
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Ruolan Bai
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zhe Ding
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Lisha Luo
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Taigui Chen
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Feng Wang
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Shiyuan Wen
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Guozhong Zhou
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Fukai Bao
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Yunnan Province Key Laboratory for Major Children Diseases, Children Hospital of Kunming, Kunming 650300, China.,Yunnan Province Key Laboratory for Tropical Infectious Diseases in Universities, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Yunnan Demonstration Base of International Science and Technology Cooperation for Tropical Diseases, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Aihua Liu
- The Institute for Tropical Medicine, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Yunnan Province Key Laboratory for Major Children Diseases, Children Hospital of Kunming, Kunming 650300, China.,Yunnan Province Key Laboratory for Tropical Infectious Diseases in Universities, Kunming Medical University, Kunming 650500, China.,Yunnan Demonstration Base of International Science and Technology Cooperation for Tropical Diseases, Kunming 650500, China
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11
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Coburn J, Garcia B, Hu LT, Jewett MW, Kraiczy P, Norris SJ, Skare J. Lyme Disease Pathogenesis. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2020; 42:473-518. [PMID: 33353871 DOI: 10.21775/cimb.042.473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease Borrelia are obligately parasitic, tick- transmitted, invasive, persistent bacterial pathogens that cause disease in humans and non-reservoir vertebrates primarily through the induction of inflammation. During transmission from the infected tick, the bacteria undergo significant changes in gene expression, resulting in adaptation to the mammalian environment. The organisms multiply and spread locally and induce inflammatory responses that, in humans, result in clinical signs and symptoms. Borrelia virulence involves a multiplicity of mechanisms for dissemination and colonization of multiple tissues and evasion of host immune responses. Most of the tissue damage, which is seen in non-reservoir hosts, appears to result from host inflammatory reactions, despite the low numbers of bacteria in affected sites. This host response to the Lyme disease Borrelia can cause neurologic, cardiovascular, arthritic, and dermatologic manifestations during the disseminated and persistent stages of infection. The mechanisms by which a paucity of organisms (in comparison to many other infectious diseases) can cause varied and in some cases profound inflammation and symptoms remains mysterious but are the subjects of diverse ongoing investigations. In this review, we provide an overview of virulence mechanisms and determinants for which roles have been demonstrated in vivo, primarily in mouse models of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Coburn
- Center For Infectious Disease Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., TBRC C3980, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Brandon Garcia
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC 27858, USA
| | - Linden T Hu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Vice Dean of Research, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Mollie W Jewett
- Immunity and Pathogenesis Division Head, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Central Florida College of Medicine, 6900 Lake Nona Blvd. Orlando, FL 32827, USA
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Steven J Norris
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, P.O. Box 20708, Houston, TX 77225, USA
| | - Jon Skare
- Professor and Associate Head, Texas A and M University, 8447 Riverside Pkwy, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
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12
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Vaca DJ, Thibau A, Schütz M, Kraiczy P, Happonen L, Malmström J, Kempf VAJ. Interaction with the host: the role of fibronectin and extracellular matrix proteins in the adhesion of Gram-negative bacteria. Med Microbiol Immunol 2019; 209:277-299. [PMID: 31784893 PMCID: PMC7248048 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-019-00644-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The capacity of pathogenic microorganisms to adhere to host cells and avoid clearance by the host immune system is the initial and most decisive step leading to infections. Bacteria have developed different strategies to attach to diverse host surface structures. One important strategy is the adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (e.g., collagen, fibronectin, laminin) that are highly abundant in connective tissue and basement membranes. Gram-negative bacteria express variable outer membrane proteins (adhesins) to attach to the host and to initiate the process of infection. Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of bacterial adhesion is a prerequisite for targeting this interaction by “anti-ligands” to prevent colonization or infection of the host. Future development of such “anti-ligands” (specifically interfering with bacteria-host matrix interactions) might result in the development of a new class of anti-infective drugs for the therapy of infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. This review summarizes our current knowledge about the manifold interactions of adhesins expressed by Gram-negative bacteria with ECM proteins and the use of this information for the generation of novel therapeutic antivirulence strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana J Vaca
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Arno Thibau
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Monika Schütz
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Eberhard Karls-University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter Kraiczy
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Lotta Happonen
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Johan Malmström
- Division of Infection Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Volkhard A J Kempf
- Institute for Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 40, 60596, Frankfurt, Germany.
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13
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Rossini AD, Teixeira AF, Souza Filho A, Souza GO, Vasconcellos SA, Heinemann MB, Romero EC, Nascimento ALTO. Identification of a novel protein in the genome sequences of Leptospira interrogans with the ability to interact with host's components. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, AND INFECTION = WEI MIAN YU GAN RAN ZA ZHI 2019; 53:163-175. [PMID: 30713004 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmii.2018.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that affects humans and animals worldwide. The etiological agents of this disease are the pathogenic species of the genus Leptospira. The mechanisms involved in the leptospiral pathogenesis are not full understood. The elucidation of novel mediators of host-pathogen interaction is important in the detection of virulence factors involved in the pathogenesis of leptospirosis. OBJECTIVE This work focused on identification and characterization of a hypothetical protein of Leptospira encoded by the gene LIC10920. METHODS The protein of unknown function was predicted to be surface exposed. Therefore, the LIC10920 gene was cloned and the protein expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) Star pLysS strain. The recombinant protein was purified by metal affinity chromatography and evaluated with leptospirosis human serum samples. The interaction with host components was also performed. RESULTS The recombinant protein was recognized by antibodies present in leptopsirosis human serum, suggesting its expression during infection. Immunofluorescence and intact bacteria assays indicated that the bacterial protein is surface-exposed. The recombinant protein interacted with human laminin, in a dose-dependent and saturable manner and was named Lsa24.9, for Leptospiral surface adhesin, followed by its molecular mass. Lsa24.9 also binds plasminogen (PLG) in a dose-dependent and saturable fashion, fulfilling receptor ligand interaction. Moreover, Lsa24.9 has the ability to acquire PLG from normal human serum, exhibiting similar profile as observed with the human purified component. PLG bound Lsa24.9 was able of generating plasmin, which could increase the proteolytic power of the bacteria. CONCLUSIONS This novel leptospiral protein may function as an adhesin at the colonization steps and may help the invasion process by plasmin generation at the bacterial cell surface.
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Affiliation(s)
- A D Rossini
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas-Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, ICB, USP, Avenida Prof. LineuPrestes, 1730, 05508-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - A F Teixeira
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas-Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - A Souza Filho
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - G O Souza
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - S A Vasconcellos
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - M B Heinemann
- Laboratório de Zoonoses Bacterianas do VPS, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, USP, Avenida Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, 05508-270, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - E C Romero
- Centro de Bacteriologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Avenida Dr. Arnaldo, 355, CEP 01246-902, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - A L T O Nascimento
- Laboratorio Especial de Desenvolvimento de Vacinas-Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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14
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Bencurova E, Gupta SK, Oskoueian E, Bhide M, Dandekar T. Omics and bioinformatics applied to vaccine development against Borrelia. Mol Omics 2018; 14:330-340. [PMID: 30113617 DOI: 10.1039/c8mo00130h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is an extracellular spirochete that causes Lyme disease. Currently, no effective vaccine is available for humans and animals except for dogs. In the present study, an extensive bioinformatics pipeline was established to predict new candidates that can be used for vaccine development including building the protein-protein interaction network based on orthologues of experimentally verified protein-protein interaction networks, elucidation of the proteins involved in the immune response, selection of the topologically-interesting proteins and their prioritization based on their antigenicity. Proteomic network analysis yielded an interactome network with 120 nodes with 97 interactions. Proteins were selected to obtain a subnet containing only the borrelial membrane proteins and immune-related host proteins. This strategy resulted in the selection of 15 borrelial targets, which were subjected to extensive bioinformatics analysis to predict their antigenic properties. Based on the strategy applied in this study the proteins encoded by erpX (ErpX proteins, UniProt ID: H7C7L6), erpL (ErpL protein, UniProt ID: H7C7M3) and erpY (ErpY protein, UniProt ID: Q9S0D9) are suggested as a novel set of vaccine targets to control Lyme disease. Moreover, five different tools were used to validate their antigenicity regarding B-cells. The combination of all these proteins in a vaccine should allow improved protection against Borrelia infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Bencurova
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Am Hubland, D-97074 Wuerzburg, Germany.
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15
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Di Domenico EG, Cavallo I, Bordignon V, D'Agosto G, Pontone M, Trento E, Gallo MT, Prignano G, Pimpinelli F, Toma L, Ensoli F. The Emerging Role of Microbial Biofilm in Lyme Neuroborreliosis. Front Neurol 2018; 9:1048. [PMID: 30559713 PMCID: PMC6287027 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.01048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common tick-borne disease caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi in North America and Borrelia afzelii or Borrelia garinii in Europe and Asia, respectively. The infection affects multiple organ systems, including the skin, joints, and the nervous system. Lyme neuroborreliosis (LNB) is the most dangerous manifestation of Lyme disease, occurring in 10-15% of infected individuals. During the course of the infection, bacteria migrate through the host tissues altering the coagulation and fibrinolysis pathways and the immune response, reaching the central nervous system (CNS) within 2 weeks after the bite of an infected tick. The early treatment with oral antimicrobials is effective in the majority of patients with LNB. Nevertheless, persistent forms of LNB are relatively common, despite targeted antibiotic therapy. It has been observed that the antibiotic resistance and the reoccurrence of Lyme disease are associated with biofilm-like aggregates in B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii, and B. garinii, both in vitro and in vivo, allowing Borrelia spp. to resist to adverse environmental conditions. Indeed, the increased tolerance to antibiotics described in the persisting forms of Borrelia spp., is strongly reminiscent of biofilm growing bacteria, suggesting a possible role of biofilm aggregates in the development of the different manifestations of Lyme disease including LNB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enea Gino Di Domenico
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ilaria Cavallo
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Bordignon
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna D'Agosto
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Pontone
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Trento
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Gallo
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Grazia Prignano
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvia Pimpinelli
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi Toma
- Department of Research, Advanced Diagnostics, and Technological Innovation, Translational Research Area, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ensoli
- Clinical Pathology and Microbiology Unit, San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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16
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Vechtova P, Sterbova J, Sterba J, Vancova M, Rego ROM, Selinger M, Strnad M, Golovchenko M, Rudenko N, Grubhoffer L. A bite so sweet: the glycobiology interface of tick-host-pathogen interactions. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:594. [PMID: 30428923 PMCID: PMC6236881 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-3062-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases constitute 17% of all infectious diseases in the world; among the blood-feeding arthropods, ticks transmit the highest number of pathogens. Understanding the interactions between the tick vector, the mammalian host and the pathogens circulating between them is the basis for the successful development of vaccines against ticks or the tick-transmitted pathogens as well as for the development of specific treatments against tick-borne infections. A lot of effort has been put into transcriptomic and proteomic analyses; however, the protein-carbohydrate interactions and the overall glycobiology of ticks and tick-borne pathogens has not been given the importance or priority deserved. Novel (bio)analytical techniques and their availability have immensely increased the possibilities in glycobiology research and thus novel information in the glycobiology of ticks and tick-borne pathogens is being generated at a faster pace each year. This review brings a comprehensive summary of the knowledge on both the glycosylated proteins and the glycan-binding proteins of the ticks as well as the tick-transmitted pathogens, with emphasis on the interactions allowing the infection of both the ticks and the hosts by various bacteria and tick-borne encephalitis virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavlina Vechtova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic. .,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
| | - Jarmila Sterbova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Sterba
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Vancova
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ryan O M Rego
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Selinger
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Strnad
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Maryna Golovchenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Nataliia Rudenko
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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17
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Tomlin H, Piccinini AM. A complex interplay between the extracellular matrix and the innate immune response to microbial pathogens. Immunology 2018; 155:186-201. [PMID: 29908065 PMCID: PMC6142291 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of the host extracellular matrix (ECM) in infection tends to be neglected. However, the complex interactions between invading pathogens, host tissues and immune cells occur in the context of the ECM. On the pathogen side, a variety of surface and secreted molecules, including microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules and tissue-degrading enzymes, are employed that interact with different ECM proteins to effectively establish an infection at specific sites. Microbial pathogens can also hijack or misuse host proteolytic systems to modify the ECM, evade immune responses or process biologically active molecules such as cell surface receptors and cytokines that direct cell behaviour and immune defence. On the host side, the ECM composition and three-dimensional ultrastructure undergo significant modifications, which have a profound impact on the specific signals that the ECM conveys to immune cells at the forefront of infection. Unexpectedly, activated immune cells participate in the remodelling of the local ECM by synthesizing ECM glycoproteins, proteoglycans and collagen molecules. The close interplay between the ECM and the innate immune response to microbial pathogens ultimately affects the outcome of infection. This review explores and discusses recent data that implicate an active role for the ECM in the immune response to infection, encompassing antimicrobial activities, microbial recognition, macrophage activation, phagocytosis, leucocyte population balance, and transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of inflammatory networks, and may foster novel antimicrobial approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Tomlin
- School of PharmacyUniversity of NottinghamNottinghamUK
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18
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Bernard Q, Thakur M, Smith AA, Kitsou C, Yang X, Pal U. Borrelia burgdorferi protein interactions critical for microbial persistence in mammals. Cell Microbiol 2018; 21:e12885. [PMID: 29934966 PMCID: PMC10082445 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease that persists in a complex enzootic life cycle, involving Ixodes ticks and vertebrate hosts. The microbe invades ticks and vertebrate hosts in spite of active immune surveillance and potent microbicidal responses, and establishes long-term infection utilising mechanisms that are yet to be unravelled. The pathogen can cause multi-system disorders when transmitted to susceptible mammalian hosts, including in humans. In the past decades, several studies identified a limited number of B. burgdorferi gene-products critical for pathogen persistence, transmission between the vectors and the host, and host-pathogen interactions. This review will focus on the interactions between B. burgdorferi proteins, as well as between microbial proteins and host components, protein and non-protein components, highlighting their roles in pathogen persistence in the mammalian host. A better understanding of the contributions of protein interactions in the microbial virulence and persistence of B. burgdorferi would support development of novel therapeutics against the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Bernard
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Meghna Thakur
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Alexis A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Chrysoula Kitsou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Xiuli Yang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
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19
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Brock CM, Bañó-Polo M, Garcia-Murria MJ, Mingarro I, Esteve-Gasent M. Characterization of the inner membrane protein BB0173 from Borrelia burgdorferi. BMC Microbiol 2017; 17:219. [PMID: 29166863 PMCID: PMC5700661 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-017-1127-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of the most commonly reported arthropod-borne illness in the United States, Lyme disease. A family of proteins containing von Willebrand Factor A (VWFA) domains adjacent to a MoxR AAA+ ATPase have been found to be highly conserved in the genus Borrelia. Previously, a VWFA domain containing protein of B. burgdorferi, BB0172, was determined to be an outer membrane protein capable of binding integrin α3β1. In this study, the characterization of a new VWFA domain containing membrane protein, BB0173, is evaluated in order to define the location and topology of this multi-spanning membrane protein. In addition, functional predictions are made. RESULTS Our results show that BB0173, in contrast to BB0172, is an inner membrane protein, in which the VWFA domain is exposed to the periplasmic space. Further, BB0173 was predicted to have an aerotolerance regulator domain, and expression of BB0173 and the surrounding genes was evaluated under aerobic and microaerophilic conditions, revealing that these genes are downregulated under aerobic conditions. Since the VWFA domain containing proteins of B. burgdorferi are highly conserved, they are likely required for survival of the pathogen through sensing diverse environmental oxygen conditions. CONCLUSIONS Presently, the complex mechanisms that B. burgdorferi uses to detect and respond to environmental changes are not completely understood. However, studying the mechanisms that allow B. burgdorferi to survive in the highly disparate environments of the tick vector and mammalian host could allow for the development of novel methods of preventing acquisition, survival, or transmission of the spirochete. In this regard, a putative membrane protein, BB0173, was characterized. BB0173 was found to be highly conserved across pathogenic Borrelia, and additionally contains several truly transmembrane domains, and a Bacteroides aerotolerance-like domain. The presence of these functional domains and the highly conserved nature of this protein, strongly suggests a required function of BB0173 in the survival of B. burgdorferi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M Brock
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, TAMU-4467, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.,Current affiliation: Department of Entomology, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Manuel Bañó-Polo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BioTecMed), Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, E-46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria J Garcia-Murria
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BioTecMed), Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, E-46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ismael Mingarro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Estructura de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Biotecnologia i Biomedicina (ERI BioTecMed), Faculty of Biology, University of Valencia, E-46100, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Maria Esteve-Gasent
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, TAMU-4467, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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20
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Beulin DSJ, Radhakrishnan D, Suresh SC, Sadasivan C, Yamaguchi M, Kawabata S, Ponnuraj K. Streptococcus pneumoniae
surface protein PfbA is a versatile multidomain and multiligand-binding adhesin employing different binding mechanisms. FEBS J 2017; 284:3404-3421. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.14200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Deepthi Radhakrishnan
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics; University of Madras; Chennai India
| | - Sharanya C. Suresh
- Department of Biotechnology & Microbiology; School of Life Sciences; Kannur University; Palayad India
| | - Chittalakottu Sadasivan
- Department of Biotechnology & Microbiology; School of Life Sciences; Kannur University; Palayad India
| | - Masaya Yamaguchi
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology; Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry; Suita Osaka Japan
| | - Shigetada Kawabata
- Department of Oral and Molecular Microbiology; Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry; Suita Osaka Japan
| | - Karthe Ponnuraj
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics; University of Madras; Chennai India
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21
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Caine JA, Coburn J. Multifunctional and Redundant Roles of Borrelia burgdorferi Outer Surface Proteins in Tissue Adhesion, Colonization, and Complement Evasion. Front Immunol 2016; 7:442. [PMID: 27818662 PMCID: PMC5073149 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease in the U.S., with at least 25,000 cases reported to the CDC each year. B. burgdorferi is thought to enter and exit the bloodstream to achieve rapid dissemination to distal tissue sites during infection. Travel through the bloodstream requires evasion of immune surveillance and pathogen clearance in the host, a process at which B. burgdorferi is adept. B. burgdorferi encodes greater than 19 adhesive outer surface proteins many of which have been found to bind to host cells or components of the extracellular matrix. Several others bind to host complement regulatory factors, in vitro. Production of many of these adhesive proteins is tightly regulated by environmental cues, and some have been shown to aid in vascular interactions and tissue colonization, as well as survival in the blood, in vivo. Recent work has described multifaceted and redundant roles of B. burgdorferi outer surface proteins in complement component interactions and tissue targeted adhesion and colonization, distinct from their previously identified in vitro binding capabilities. Recent insights into the multifunctional roles of previously well-characterized outer surface proteins such as BBK32, DbpA, CspA, and OspC have changed the way we think about the surface proteome of these organisms during the tick-mammal life cycle. With the combination of new and old in vivo models and in vitro techniques, the field has identified distinct ligand binding domains on BBK32 and DbpA that afford tissue colonization or blood survival to B. burgdorferi. In this review, we describe the multifunctional and redundant roles of many adhesive outer surface proteins of B. burgdorferi in tissue adhesion, colonization, and bloodstream survival that, together, promote the survival of Borrelia spp. throughout maintenance in their multi-host lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Caine
- Division of Infectious Disease, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jenifer Coburn
- Division of Infectious Disease, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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22
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Rahman S, Shering M, Ogden NH, Lindsay R, Badawi A. Toll-like receptor cascade and gene polymorphism in host-pathogen interaction in Lyme disease. J Inflamm Res 2016; 9:91-102. [PMID: 27330321 PMCID: PMC4898433 DOI: 10.2147/jir.s104790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease (LD) risk occurs in North America and Europe where the tick vectors of the causal agent Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato are found. It is associated with local and systemic manifestations, and has persistent posttreatment health complications in some individuals. The innate immune system likely plays a critical role in both host defense against B. burgdorferi and disease severity. Recognition of B. burgdorferi, activation of the innate immune system, production of proinflammatory cytokines, and modulation of the host adaptive responses are all initiated by Toll-like receptors (TLRs). A number of Borrelia outer-surface proteins (eg, OspA and OspB) are recognized by TLRs. Specifically, TLR1 and TLR2 were identified as the receptors most relevant to LD. Several functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms have been identified in TLR genes, and are associated with varying cytokines types and synthesis levels, altered pathogen recognition, and disruption of the downstream signaling cascade. These single-nucleotide polymorphism-related functional alterations are postulated to be linked to disease development and posttreatment persistent illness. Elucidating the role of TLRs in LD may facilitate a better understanding of disease pathogenesis and can provide an insight into novel therapeutic targets during active disease or postinfection and posttreatment stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shusmita Rahman
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maria Shering
- Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas H Ogden
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada
| | - Robbin Lindsay
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Alaa Badawi
- National Microbiology Laboratory, Public Health Agency of Canada, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Drecktrah D, Lybecker M, Popitsch N, Rescheneder P, Hall LS, Samuels DS. The Borrelia burgdorferi RelA/SpoT Homolog and Stringent Response Regulate Survival in the Tick Vector and Global Gene Expression during Starvation. PLoS Pathog 2015; 11:e1005160. [PMID: 26371761 PMCID: PMC4570706 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
As the Lyme disease bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi traverses its enzootic cycle, alternating between a tick vector and a vertebrate host, the spirochete must adapt and persist in the tick midgut under prolonged nutrient stress between blood meals. In this study, we examined the role of the stringent response in tick persistence and in regulation of gene expression during nutrient limitation. Nutritionally starving B. burgdorferi in vitro increased the levels of guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) and guanosine pentaphosphate (pppGpp), collectively referred to as (p)ppGpp, products of the bifunctional synthetase/hydrolase RelBbu (RelA/SpoT homolog). Conversely, returning B. burgdorferi to a nutrient-rich medium decreased (p)ppGpp levels. B. burgdorferi survival in ticks between the larval and nymph blood meals, and during starvation in vitro, was dependent on RelBbu. Furthermore, normal morphological conversion from a flat-wave shape to a condensed round body (RB) form during starvation was dependent on RelBbu; relBbu mutants more frequently formed RBs, but their membranes were compromised. By differential RNA sequencing analyses, we found that RelBbu regulates an extensive transcriptome, both dependent and independent of nutrient stress. The RelBbu regulon includes the glp operon, which is important for glycerol utilization and persistence in the tick, virulence factors and the late phage operon of the 32-kb circular plasmid (cp32) family. In summary, our data suggest that RelBbu globally modulates transcription in response to nutrient stress by increasing (p)ppGpp levels to facilitate B. burgdorferi persistence in the tick.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Drecktrah
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - Meghan Lybecker
- Department of Biology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Niko Popitsch
- Oxford NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna & Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Rescheneder
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna, Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna & Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Laura S. Hall
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
| | - D. Scott Samuels
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, United States of America
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Lin YP, Bhowmick R, Coburn J, Leong JM. Host cell heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans are ligands for OspF-related proteins of the Lyme disease spirochete. Cell Microbiol 2015; 17:1464-76. [PMID: 25864455 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.12448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, spreads from the site of the tick bite to tissues such as heart, joints and the nervous tissues. Host glycosaminoglycans, highly modified repeating disaccharides that are present on cell surfaces and in extracellular matrix, are common targets of microbial pathogens during tissue colonization. While several dermatan sulfate-binding B. burgdorferi adhesins have been identified, B. burgdorferi adhesins documented to promote spirochetal binding to heparan sulfate have not yet been identified. OspEF-related proteins (Erps), a large family of plasmid-encoded surface lipoproteins that are produced in the mammalian host, can be divided into the OspF-related, OspEF-leader peptide (Elp) and OspE-related subfamilies. We show here that a member of the OspF-related subfamily, ErpG, binds to heparan sulfate and when produced on the surface of an otherwise non-adherent B. burgdorferi strain, ErpG promotes heparan sulfate-mediated bacterial attachment to the glial but not the endothelial, synovial or respiratory epithelial cells. Six other OspF-related proteins were capable of binding heparan sulfate, whereas representative OspE-related and Elp proteins lacked this activity. These results indicate that OspF-related proteins are heparan sulfate-binding adhesins, at least one of which promotes bacterial attachment to glial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Pin Lin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Rudra Bhowmick
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Jenifer Coburn
- Division of Infectious Disease, Center for Infectious Disease Research, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA
| | - John M Leong
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
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25
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Zhi H, Weening EH, Barbu EM, Hyde JA, Höök M, Skare JT. The BBA33 lipoprotein binds collagen and impacts Borrelia burgdorferi pathogenesis. Mol Microbiol 2015; 96:68-83. [PMID: 25560615 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease, adapts to the mammalian hosts by differentially expressing several genes in the BosR and Rrp2-RpoN-RpoS dependent pathways, resulting in a distinct protein profile relative to that seen for survival in the Ixodes spp. tick. Previous studies indicate that a putative lipoprotein, BBA33, is produced in an RpoS-dependent manner under conditions that mimic the mammalian component of the borrelial lifecycle. However, the significance and function for BBA33 is not known. Given its linkage to the BosR/Rrp2-RpoN-RpoS regulatory cascade, we hypothesized that BBA33 facilitates B. burgdorferi infection in the mammalian host. The deletion of bba33 eliminated B. burgdorferi infectivity in C3H mice, which was rescued by genetic complementation with intact bba33. With regard to function, a combinatorial peptide approach, coupled with subsequent in vitro binding assays, indicated that BBA33 binds to collagen type VI and, to a lesser extent, collagen type IV. Whole cell binding assays demonstrated BBA33-dependent binding to human collagen type VI. Taken together, these results suggest that BBA33 interacts with collagenous structures and may function as an adhesin in a process that is required to prevent bacterial clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Zhi
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, 77807, USA
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26
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Identification of lysine residues in the Borrelia burgdorferi DbpA adhesin required for murine infection. Infect Immun 2014; 82:3186-98. [PMID: 24842928 DOI: 10.1128/iai.02036-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Decorin-binding protein A (DbpA) of Borrelia burgdorferi mediates bacterial adhesion to heparin and dermatan sulfate associated with decorin. Lysines K82, K163, and K170 of DbpA are known to be important for in vitro interaction with decorin, and the DbpA structure, initially solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, suggests these lysine residues colocalize in a pocket near the C terminus of the protein. In the current study, we solved the structure of DbpA from B. burgdorferi strain 297 using X-ray crystallography and confirmed the existing NMR structural data. In vitro binding experiments confirmed that recombinant DbpA proteins with mutations in K82, K163, or K170 did not bind decorin, which was due to an inability to interact with dermatan sulfate. Most importantly, we determined that the in vitro binding defect observed upon mutation of K82, K163, or K170 in DbpA also led to a defect during infection. The infectivity of B. burgdorferi expressing individual dbpA lysine point mutants was assessed in mice challenged via needle inoculation. Murine infection studies showed that strains expressing dbpA with mutations in K82, K163, and K170 were significantly attenuated and could not be cultured from any tissue. Proper expression and cellular localization of the mutated DbpA proteins were examined, and NMR spectroscopy determined that the mutant DbpA proteins were structurally similar to wild-type DbpA. Taken together, these data showed that lysines K82, K163, and K170 potentiate the binding of DbpA to dermatan sulfate and that an interaction(s) mediated by these lysines is essential for B. burgdorferi murine infection.
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Brissette CA, Gaultney RA. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it--an update on B. burgdorferi adhesins. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2014; 4:41. [PMID: 24772392 PMCID: PMC3982108 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2014.00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adhesion is the initial event in the establishment of any infection. Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease, possesses myriad proteins termed adhesins that facilitate contact with its vertebrate hosts. B. burgdorferi adheres to host tissues through interactions with host cells and extracellular matrix, as well as other molecules present in serum and extracellular fluids. These interactions, both general and specific, are critical in the establishment of infection. Modulation of borrelial adhesion to host tissues affects the microorganisms's ability to colonize, disseminate, and persist. In this review, we update the current knowledge on structure, function, and role in pathogenesis of these “sticky” B. burgdorferi infection-associated proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Brissette
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | - Robert A Gaultney
- Department of Basic Sciences, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences Grand Forks, ND, USA
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28
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Hodzic E, Feng S, Barthold SW. Assessment of transcriptional activity of Borrelia burgdorferi and host cytokine genes during early and late infection in a mouse model. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2013; 13:694-711. [PMID: 23930938 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Differential gene expression by Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes during mammalian infection facilitates their dissemination as well as immune evasion. Modulation of gene transcription in response to host immunity has been documented with the outer surface protein C, but the influence of transcription of other genes is largely unknown. A low-density array (LDA) was developed to study transcriptional activity of 43 B. burgdorferi genes and 19 host genes that may be involved in various host-agent interactions. Gene transcription in heart, joint, and muscle tissue was compared in immunocompetent C3H and immunodeficient C3H-scid mice during early (3 weeks) and late (2 months) B. burgdorferi infection. Among all tissue types, levels of relative transcription of over 80% of B. burgdorferi genes tested were one- to nine-fold less in C3H mice compared to C3H-scid mice. At the later time point, all genes were transcribed in C3H-scid mice, whereas transcription of 16 genes out of 43 tested was not detected in analyzed tissues of C3H mice. Our data suggest that during infection of immunocompetent mice, a majority of B. burgdorferi genes tested are downregulated in response to acquired host immunity. LDA revealed variable patterns of host gene expression in different tissues and at different intervals in infected mice. Higher levels of relative expression for IL-10 during both early and late infection were detected in heart base, and it was unchanged in the tibiotarsal joint. Comparative analysis of B. burgdorferi and host genes transcriptional activity revealed that increased flaB mRNA during early infection was followed by increases of CCL7, CCL8, interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in all assessed tissue types. LDA represents a valuable approach for sensitive and quantitative gene transcription profiling and for understanding Lyme borreliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emir Hodzic
- 1 Center for Comparative Medicine, Schools of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine, University of California at Davis , Davis, California
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29
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Dynamics of connective-tissue localization during chronic Borrelia burgdorferi infection. J Transl Med 2013; 93:900-10. [PMID: 23797360 PMCID: PMC4139070 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2013.81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2013] [Revised: 05/28/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, localizes preferentially in the extracellular matrix during persistence. In chronically infected laboratory mice, there is a direct association between B. burgdorferi and the proteoglycan decorin, which suggests that decorin has a role in defining protective niches for persistent spirochetes. In this study, the tissue colocalization of B. burgdorferi with decorin and the dynamics of borrelial decorin tropism were evaluated during chronic infection. Spirochetes were found to colocalize absolutely with decorin, but not collagen I in chronically infected immunocompetent C3H mice. Passive immunization of infected C3H-scid mice with B. burgdorferi-specific immune serum resulted in the localization of spirochetes in decorin-rich microenvironments, with clearance of spirochetes from decorin-poor microenvironments. In passively immunized C3H-scid mice, tissue spirochete burdens were initially reduced, but increased over time as the B. burgdorferi-specific antibody levels waned. Concurrent repopulation of the previously cleared decorin-poor microenvironments was observed with the rising tissue spirochete burden and declining antibody titer. These findings indicate that the specificity of B. burgdorferi tissue localization during chronic infection is determined by decorin, driven by the borrelia-specific antibody response, and fluctuates with the antibody response.
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30
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Kumar S, Puniya BL, Parween S, Nahar P, Ramachandran S. Identification of novel adhesins of M. tuberculosis H37Rv using integrated approach of multiple computational algorithms and experimental analysis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69790. [PMID: 23922800 PMCID: PMC3726780 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic bacteria interacting with eukaryotic host express adhesins on their surface. These adhesins aid in bacterial attachment to the host cell receptors during colonization. A few adhesins such as Heparin binding hemagglutinin adhesin (HBHA), Apa, Malate Synthase of M. tuberculosis have been identified using specific experimental interaction models based on the biological knowledge of the pathogen. In the present work, we carried out computational screening for adhesins of M. tuberculosis. We used an integrated computational approach using SPAAN for predicting adhesins, PSORTb, SubLoc and LocTree for extracellular localization, and BLAST for verifying non-similarity to human proteins. These steps are among the first of reverse vaccinology. Multiple claims and attacks from different algorithms were processed through argumentative approach. Additional filtration criteria included selection for proteins with low molecular weights and absence of literature reports. We examined binding potential of the selected proteins using an image based ELISA. The protein Rv2599 (membrane protein) binds to human fibronectin, laminin and collagen. Rv3717 (N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase) and Rv0309 (L,D-transpeptidase) bind to fibronectin and laminin. We report Rv2599 (membrane protein), Rv0309 and Rv3717 as novel adhesins of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Our results expand the number of known adhesins of M. tuberculosis and suggest their regulated expression in different stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjiv Kumar
- Functional Genomics Unit, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Bhanwar Lal Puniya
- Functional Genomics Unit, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Shahila Parween
- Functional Genomics Unit, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Pradip Nahar
- Functional Genomics Unit, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
| | - Srinivasan Ramachandran
- Functional Genomics Unit, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research -Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), New Delhi, India
- * E-mail:
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31
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Coburn J, Leong J, Chaconas G. Illuminating the roles of the Borrelia burgdorferi adhesins. Trends Microbiol 2013; 21:372-9. [PMID: 23876218 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2013.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/14/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The Lyme disease spirochetes, Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato), must cause persistent, disseminated infection to be maintained in the natural enzootic cycle. In human Lyme disease, spirochetes spread from the site of a tick bite to colonize multiple tissue sites, causing multisystem clinical manifestations. The Lyme spirochetes produce many adhesive surface proteins that collectively recognize diverse host substrates and cell types and are likely to promote dissemination and chronic infection in a variety of tissues. Recent application of state-of-the-art in vivo imaging technologies is illuminating mechanisms of interaction of B. burgdorferi with the host and the importance of multiple adhesins during mammalian infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Coburn
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
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32
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Jutras BL, Chenail AM, Carroll DW, Miller MC, Zhu H, Bowman A, Stevenson B. Bpur, the Lyme disease spirochete's PUR domain protein: identification as a transcriptional modulator and characterization of nucleic acid interactions. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:26220-26234. [PMID: 23846702 PMCID: PMC3764826 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.491357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The PUR domain is a nucleic acid-binding motif found in critical regulatory proteins of higher eukaryotes and in certain species of bacteria. During investigations into mechanisms by which the Lyme disease spirochete controls synthesis of its Erp surface proteins, it was discovered that the borrelial PUR domain protein, Bpur, binds with high affinity to double-stranded DNA adjacent to the erp transcriptional promoter. Bpur was found to enhance the effects of the erp repressor protein, BpaB. Bpur also bound single-stranded DNA and RNA, with relative affinities RNA > double-stranded DNA > single-stranded DNA. Rational site-directed mutagenesis of Bpur identified amino acid residues and domains critical for interactions with nucleic acids, and it revealed that the PUR domain has a distinct mechanism of interaction with each type of nucleic acid ligand. These data shed light on both gene regulation in the Lyme spirochete and functional mechanisms of the widely distributed PUR domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Jutras
- From the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and
| | - Alicia M Chenail
- From the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and
| | - Dustin W Carroll
- the Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - M Clarke Miller
- the James Graham Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky 40202, and
| | - Haining Zhu
- the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky 40536
| | - Amy Bowman
- From the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and
| | - Brian Stevenson
- From the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and.
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Brisson D, Zhou W, Jutras BL, Casjens S, Stevenson B. Distribution of cp32 prophages among Lyme disease-causing spirochetes and natural diversity of their lipoprotein-encoding erp loci. Appl Environ Microbiol 2013; 79:4115-28. [PMID: 23624478 PMCID: PMC3697573 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00817-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease spirochetes possess complex genomes, consisting of a main chromosome and 20 or more smaller replicons. Among those small DNAs are the cp32 elements, a family of prophages that replicate as circular episomes. All complete cp32s contain an erp locus, which encodes surface-exposed proteins. Sequences were compared for all 193 erp alleles carried by 22 different strains of Lyme disease-causing spirochete to investigate their natural diversity and evolutionary histories. These included multiple isolates from a focus where Lyme disease is endemic in the northeastern United States and isolates from across North America and Europe. Bacteria were derived from diseased humans and from vector ticks and included members of 5 different Borrelia genospecies. All erp operon 5'-noncoding regions were found to be highly conserved, as were the initial 70 to 80 bp of all erp open reading frames, traits indicative of a common evolutionary origin. However, the majority of the protein-coding regions are highly diverse, due to numerous intra- and intergenic recombination events. Most erp alleles are chimeras derived from sequences of closely related and distantly related erp sequences and from unknown origins. Since known functions of Erp surface proteins involve interactions with various host tissue components, this diversity may reflect both their multiple functions and the abilities of Lyme disease-causing spirochetes to successfully infect a wide variety of vertebrate host species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Brisson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Wei Zhou
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Brandon L. Jutras
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
| | - Sherwood Casjens
- Department of Pathology, Division of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Utah Medical School, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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The early dissemination defect attributed to disruption of decorin-binding proteins is abolished in chronic murine Lyme borreliosis. Infect Immun 2013; 81:1663-73. [PMID: 23460518 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01359-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The laboratory mouse model of Lyme disease has revealed that Borrelia burgdorferi differentially expresses numerous outer surface proteins that influence different stages of infection (tick-borne transmission, tissue colonization, dissemination, persistence, and tick acquisition). Deletion of two such outer surface proteins, decorin-binding proteins A and B (DbpA/B), has been documented to decrease infectivity, impede early dissemination, and, possibly, prevent persistence. In this study, DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes were confirmed to exhibit an early dissemination defect in immunocompetent, but not immunodeficient, mice, and the defect was found to resolve with chronicity. Development of disease (arthritis and carditis) was attenuated only in the early stage of infection with DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes in both types of mice. Persistence of the DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes occurred in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice in a manner indistinguishable from that of wild-type spirochetes. Dissemination through the lymphatic system was evaluated as an underlying mechanism for the early dissemination defect. At 12 h, 3 days, 7 days, and 14 days postinoculation, DbpA/B-deficient spirochetes were significantly less prevalent and in lower numbers in lymph nodes than wild-type spirochetes. However, in immunodeficient mice, deficiency of DbpA/B did not significantly decrease the prevalence or spirochete numbers in lymph nodes. Complementation of DbpA/B restored a wild-type phenotype. Thus, the results indicated that deficiency of DbpA/B allows the acquired immune response to restrict early dissemination of spirochetes, which appears to be at least partially mediated through the lymphatic system.
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35
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Müller KE. Damage of collagen and elastic fibres by borrelia burgdorferi - known and new clinical and histopathological aspects. Open Neurol J 2012; 6:179-86. [PMID: 23986790 PMCID: PMC3751012 DOI: 10.2174/1874205x01206010179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2011] [Revised: 01/29/2012] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme Borreliosis, or Lyme's disease, manifests itself in numerous skin conditions. Therapeutic intervention should be initiated as soon as a clinical diagnosis of erythema migrans is made. The histopathology of some of the skin conditions associated with Lyme Borreliosis is characterised by structural changes to collagen, and sometimes also elastic fibres. These conditions include morphea, lichen sclerosus et atrophicus and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. More recently, further skin conditions have been identified by the new microscopic investigation technique of focus floating microscopy: granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica, necrobiotic xanthogranuloma, erythema annulare centrifugum, interstitial granulomatous dermatitis, cutaneous sarcoidosis and lymphocytic infiltration; these conditions also sometimes cause changes in the connective tissue. In the case of ligaments and tendons, collagen and elastic fibres predominate structurally. They are also the structures that are targeted by Borrelia. The resultant functional disorders have previously only rarely been associated with Borreliosis in clinical practice. Ligamentopathies and tendinopathies, spontaneous ruptures of tendons after slight strain, dislocation of vertebrae and an accumulation of prolapsed intervertebral discs as well as ossification of tendon insertions can be viewed in this light.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kurt E Müller
- Medical Practice for Dermatology, Venerology, Occupational Dermatology and Environmental Medicine, Kempten, Bavaria, Germany
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Changes in bacterial growth rate govern expression of the Borrelia burgdorferi OspC and Erp infection-associated surface proteins. J Bacteriol 2012; 195:757-64. [PMID: 23222718 DOI: 10.1128/jb.01956-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Lyme disease spirochete controls production of its OspC and Erp outer surface proteins, repressing protein synthesis during colonization of vector ticks but increasing expression when those ticks feed on vertebrate hosts. Early studies found that the synthesis of OspC and Erps can be stimulated in culture by shifting the temperature from 23°C to 34°C, leading to a hypothesis that Borrelia burgdorferi senses environmental temperature to determine its location in the tick-mammal infectious cycle. However, borreliae cultured at 34°C divide several times faster than do those cultured at 23°C. We developed methods that disassociate bacterial growth rate and temperature, allowing a separate evaluation of each factor's impacts on B. burgdorferi gene and protein expression. Altogether, the data support a new paradigm that B. burgdorferi actually responds to changes in its own replication rate, not temperature per se, as the impetus to increase the expression of the OspC and Erp infection-associated proteins.
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Abstract
The spirochetes in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies group cycle in nature between tick vectors and vertebrate hosts. The current assemblage of B. burgdorferi sensu lato, of which three species cause Lyme disease in humans, originated from a rapid species radiation that occurred near the origin of the clade. All of these species share a unique genome structure that is highly segmented and predominantly composed of linear replicons. One of the circular plasmids is a prophage that exists as several isoforms in each cell and can be transduced to other cells, likely contributing to an otherwise relatively anemic level of horizontal gene transfer, which nevertheless appears to be adequate to permit strong natural selection and adaptation in populations of B. burgdorferi. Although the molecular genetic toolbox is meager, several antibiotic-resistant mutants have been isolated, and the resistance alleles, as well as some exogenous genes, have been fashioned into markers to dissect gene function. Genetic studies have probed the role of the outer membrane lipoprotein OspC, which is maintained in nature by multiple niche polymorphisms and negative frequency-dependent selection. One of the most intriguing genetic systems in B. burgdorferi is vls recombination, which generates antigenic variation during infection of mammalian hosts.
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MESH Headings
- Alleles
- Animals
- Antigenic Variation
- Antigens, Bacterial/genetics
- Antigens, Bacterial/immunology
- Antigens, Bacterial/metabolism
- Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins/genetics
- Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins/metabolism
- Bacterial Proteins/genetics
- Bacterial Proteins/immunology
- Bacterial Proteins/metabolism
- Bacteriophages/genetics
- Bacteriophages/metabolism
- Bacteriophages/pathogenicity
- Borrelia burgdorferi/genetics
- Borrelia burgdorferi/immunology
- Borrelia burgdorferi/pathogenicity
- Borrelia burgdorferi/virology
- DNA, Bacterial/genetics
- DNA, Bacterial/metabolism
- Electroporation
- Evolution, Molecular
- Genes, Bacterial
- Genetic Variation
- Humans
- Ixodes/microbiology
- Linkage Disequilibrium
- Lipoproteins/genetics
- Lipoproteins/immunology
- Lipoproteins/metabolism
- Lyme Disease/microbiology
- Plasmids/genetics
- Plasmids/metabolism
- Prophages/genetics
- Prophages/metabolism
- Recombination, Genetic
- Selection, Genetic
- Species Specificity
- Transduction, Genetic
- Transformation, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin Brisson
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Dan Drecktrah
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812
| | - Christian H. Eggers
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut 06518
| | - D. Scott Samuels
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, The University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812
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Chan K, Awan M, Barthold SW, Parveen N. Comparative molecular analyses of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strains B31 and N40D10/E9 and determination of their pathogenicity. BMC Microbiol 2012; 12:157. [PMID: 22846633 PMCID: PMC3511255 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-12-157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2012] [Accepted: 06/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lyme disease in the United States is caused primarily by B. burgdorferi sensu stricto while other species are also prevalent in Europe. Genetic techniques have identified several chromosomal and plasmid-borne regulatory and virulence factors involved in Lyme pathogenesis. B31 and N40 are two widely studied strains of B. burgdorferi, which belong to two different 16 S-23 S rRNA spacer types (RST) and outer surface protein C (OspC) allelic groups. However, the presence of several known virulence factors in N40 has not been investigated. This is the first comprehensive study that compared these two strains both in vitro and using the mouse model of infection. Results Phylogenetic analyses predict B31 to be more infectious. However, our studies here indicate that N40D10/E9 is more infectious than the B31 strain at lower doses of inoculation in the susceptible C3H mice. Based-upon a careful analyses of known adhesins of these strains, it is predicted that the absence of a known fibronectin-glycosaminoglycan binding adhesin, bbk32, in the N40 strain could at least partially be responsible for reduction in its binding to Vero cells in vitro. Nevertheless, this difference does not affect the infectivity of N40D10/E9 strain. The genes encoding known regulatory and virulence factors critical for pathogenesis were detected in both strains. Differences in the protein profiles of these B. burgdorferi strains in vitro suggest that the novel, differentially expressed molecules may affect infectivity of B. burgdorferi. Further exacerbation of these molecular differences in vivo could affect the pathogenesis of spirochete strains. Conclusion Based upon the studies here, it can be predicted that N40D10/E9 disseminated infection at lower doses may be enhanced by its lower binding to epithelial cells at the site of inoculation due to the absence of BBK32. We suggest that complete molecular analyses of virulence factors followed by their evaluation using the mouse infection model should form the basis of determining infectivity and pathogenicity of different strains rather than simple phylogenetic group analyses. This study further emphasizes a need to investigate multiple invasive strains of B. burgdorferi to fully appreciate the pathogenic mechanisms that contribute to Lyme disease manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamfai Chan
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, 225 Warren Street, Newark, NJ 07103-3535, USA
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Borrelia burgdorferi cp32 BpaB modulates expression of the prophage NucP nuclease and SsbP single-stranded DNA-binding protein. J Bacteriol 2012; 194:4570-8. [PMID: 22730122 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00661-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Borrelia burgdorferi BpaB proteins of the spirochete's ubiquitous cp32 prophages are DNA-binding proteins, required both for maintenance of the bacteriophage episomes and for transcriptional regulation of the cp32 erp operons. Through use of DNase I footprinting, we demonstrate that BpaB binds the erp operator initially at the sequence 5'-TTATA-3'. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that BpaB also binds with high affinity to sites located in the 5' noncoding regions of two additional cp32 genes. Characterization of the proteins encoded by those genes indicated that they are a single-stranded DNA-binding protein and a nuclease, which we named SsbP and NucP, respectively. Chromatin immunoprecipitation indicated that BpaB binds erp, ssbP, and nucP in live B. burgdorferi. A mutant bacterium that overexpressed BpaB produced significantly higher levels of ssbP and nucP transcript than did the wild-type parent.
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40
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Singh B, Fleury C, Jalalvand F, Riesbeck K. Human pathogens utilize host extracellular matrix proteins laminin and collagen for adhesion and invasion of the host. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2012; 36:1122-80. [PMID: 22537156 DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2012.00340.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2011] [Revised: 02/08/2012] [Accepted: 03/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Laminin (Ln) and collagen are multifunctional glycoproteins that play an important role in cellular morphogenesis, cell signalling, tissue repair and cell migration. These proteins are ubiquitously present in tissues as a part of the basement membrane (BM), constitute a protective layer around blood capillaries and are included in the extracellular matrix (ECM). As a component of BMs, both Lns and collagen(s), thus function as major mechanical containment molecules that protect tissues from pathogens. Invasive pathogens breach the basal lamina and degrade ECM proteins of interstitial spaces and connective tissues using various ECM-degrading proteases or surface-bound plasminogen and matrix metalloproteinases recruited from the host. Most pathogens associated with the respiratory, gastrointestinal, or urogenital tracts, as well as with the central nervous system or the skin, have the capacity to bind and degrade Lns and collagen(s) in order to adhere to and invade host tissues. In this review, we focus on the adaptability of various pathogens to utilize these ECM proteins as enhancers for adhesion to host tissues or as a targets for degradation in order to breach the cellular barriers. The major pathogens discussed are Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Yersinia, Treponema, Mycobacterium, Clostridium, Listeria, Porphyromonas and Haemophilus; Candida, Aspergillus, Pneumocystis, Cryptococcus and Coccidioides; Acanthamoeba, Trypanosoma and Trichomonas; retrovirus and papilloma virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birendra Singh
- Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine Malmö, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
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41
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Van Laar TA, Lin YH, Miller CL, Karna SLR, Chambers JP, Seshu J. Effect of levels of acetate on the mevalonate pathway of Borrelia burgdorferi. PLoS One 2012; 7:e38171. [PMID: 22675445 PMCID: PMC3364977 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2012] [Accepted: 05/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, is a spirochetal pathogen with limited metabolic capabilities that survives under highly disparate host-specific conditions. However, the borrelial genome encodes several proteins of the mevalonate pathway (MP) that utilizes acetyl-CoA as a substrate leading to intermediate metabolites critical for biogenesis of peptidoglycan and post-translational modifications of proteins. In this study, we analyzed the MP and contributions of acetate in modulation of adaptive responses in B. burgdorferi. Reverse-transcription PCR revealed that components of the MP are transcribed as individual open reading frames. Immunoblot analysis using monospecific sera confirmed synthesis of members of the MP in B. burgdorferi. The rate-limiting step of the MP is mediated by HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) via conversion of HMG-CoA to mevalonate. Recombinant borrelial HMGR exhibited a K(m) value of 132 µM with a V(max) of 1.94 µmol NADPH oxidized minute(-1) (mg protein)(-1) and was inhibited by statins. Total protein lysates from two different infectious, clonal isolates of B. burgdorferi grown under conditions that mimicked fed-ticks (pH 6.8/37°C) exhibited increased levels of HMGR while other members of the MP were elevated under unfed-tick (pH 7.6/23°C) conditions. Increased extra-cellular acetate gave rise to elevated levels of MP proteins along with RpoS, CsrA(Bb) and their respective regulons responsible for mediating vertebrate host-specific adaptation. Both lactone and acid forms of two different statins inhibited growth of B. burgdorferi strain B31, while overexpression of HMGR was able to partially overcome that inhibition. In summary, these studies on MP and contributions of acetate to host-specific adaptation have helped identify potential metabolic targets that can be manipulated to reduce the incidence of Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tricia A. Van Laar
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Biology, Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics and The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ying-Han Lin
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Biology, Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics and The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Christine L. Miller
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Biology, Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics and The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - S. L. Rajasekhar Karna
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Biology, Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics and The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - James P. Chambers
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Biology, Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics and The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - J. Seshu
- South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and Department of Biology, Center for Excellence in Infection Genomics and The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
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42
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Casjens SR, Mongodin EF, Qiu WG, Luft BJ, Schutzer SE, Gilcrease EB, Huang WM, Vujadinovic M, Aron JK, Vargas LC, Freeman S, Radune D, Weidman JF, Dimitrov GI, Khouri HM, Sosa JE, Halpin RA, Dunn JJ, Fraser CM. Genome stability of Lyme disease spirochetes: comparative genomics of Borrelia burgdorferi plasmids. PLoS One 2012; 7:e33280. [PMID: 22432010 PMCID: PMC3303823 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0033280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2011] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne human illness in North America. In order to understand the molecular pathogenesis, natural diversity, population structure and epizootic spread of the North American Lyme agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, a much better understanding of the natural diversity of its genome will be required. Towards this end we present a comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the numerous plasmids of B. burgdorferi isolates B31, N40, JD1 and 297. These strains were chosen because they include the three most commonly studied laboratory strains, and because they represent different major genetic lineages and so are informative regarding the genetic diversity and evolution of this organism. A unique feature of Borrelia genomes is that they carry a large number of linear and circular plasmids, and this work shows that strains N40, JD1, 297 and B31 carry related but non-identical sets of 16, 20, 19 and 21 plasmids, respectively, that comprise 33–40% of their genomes. We deduce that there are at least 28 plasmid compatibility types among the four strains. The B. burgdorferi ∼900 Kbp linear chromosomes are evolutionarily exceptionally stable, except for a short ≤20 Kbp plasmid-like section at the right end. A few of the plasmids, including the linear lp54 and circular cp26, are also very stable. We show here that the other plasmids, especially the linear ones, are considerably more variable. Nearly all of the linear plasmids have undergone one or more substantial inter-plasmid rearrangements since their last common ancestor. In spite of these rearrangements and differences in plasmid contents, the overall gene complement of the different isolates has remained relatively constant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherwood R Casjens
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America.
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43
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Steukers L, Glorieux S, Vandekerckhove AP, Favoreel HW, Nauwynck HJ. Diverse microbial interactions with the basement membrane barrier. Trends Microbiol 2012; 20:147-55. [PMID: 22300759 PMCID: PMC7127156 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2012.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2011] [Revised: 12/20/2011] [Accepted: 01/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
During primary contact with susceptible hosts, microorganisms face an array of barriers that thwart their invasion process. Passage through the basement membrane (BM), a 50-100-nm-thick crucial barrier underlying epithelia and endothelia, is a prerequisite for successful host invasion. Such passage allows pathogens to reach nerve endings or blood vessels in the stroma and to facilitate spread to internal organs. During evolution, several pathogens have developed different mechanisms to cross this dense matrix of sheet-like proteins. To breach the BM, some microorganisms have developed independent mechanisms, others hijack host cells that are able to transverse the BM (e.g. leukocytes and dendritic cells) and oncogenic microorganisms might even trigger metastatic processes in epithelial cells to penetrate the underlying BM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennert Steukers
- Department of Virology, Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
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44
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Radolf JD, Caimano MJ, Stevenson B, Hu LT. Of ticks, mice and men: understanding the dual-host lifestyle of Lyme disease spirochaetes. Nat Rev Microbiol 2012; 10:87-99. [PMID: 22230951 PMCID: PMC3313462 DOI: 10.1038/nrmicro2714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 510] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In little more than 30 years, Lyme disease, which is caused by the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi, has risen from relative obscurity to become a global public health problem and a prototype of an emerging infection. During this period, there has been an extraordinary accumulation of knowledge on the phylogenetic diversity, molecular biology, genetics and host interactions of B. burgdorferi. In this Review, we integrate this large body of information into a cohesive picture of the molecular and cellular events that transpire as Lyme disease spirochaetes transit between their arthropod and vertebrate hosts during the enzootic cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin D Radolf
- Department of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030, USA.
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45
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BpaB and EbfC DNA-binding proteins regulate production of the Lyme disease spirochete's infection-associated Erp surface proteins. J Bacteriol 2011; 194:778-86. [PMID: 22155777 DOI: 10.1128/jb.06394-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne pathogens regulate their protein expression profiles, producing factors during host infection that differ from those produced during vector colonization. The Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, produces Erp surface proteins throughout mammalian infection and represses their synthesis during colonization of vector ticks. Known functions of Erp proteins include binding of host laminin, plasmin(ogen), and regulators of complement activation. A DNA region immediately 5' of erp operons, the erp operator, is required for transcriptional regulation. The B. burgdorferi BpaB and EbfC proteins exhibit high in vitro affinities for erp operator DNA. In the present studies, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) demonstrated that both proteins bind erp operator DNA in vivo. Additionally, a combination of in vivo and in vitro methods demonstrated that BpaB functions as a repressor of erp transcription, while EbfC functions as an antirepressor.
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46
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Hallström T, Singh B, Resman F, Blom AM, Mörgelin M, Riesbeck K. Haemophilus influenzae protein E binds to the extracellular matrix by concurrently interacting with laminin and vitronectin. J Infect Dis 2011; 204:1065-74. [PMID: 21881122 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jir459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) causes otitis media and is commonly found in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Adhesins are important for bacterial attachment and colonization. Protein E (PE) is a recently characterized ubiquitous 16 kDa adhesin with vitronectin-binding capacity that results in increased survival in serum. In addition to PE, NTHi utilizes Haemophilus adhesion protein (Hap) that binds to the basement-membrane glycoprotein laminin. We show that most clinical isolates bind laminin and that both Hap and PE are crucial for the NTHi-dependent interaction with laminin as revealed with different mutants. The laminin-binding region is located at the N-terminus of PE, and PE binds to the heparin-binding C-terminal globular domain of laminin. PE simultaneously attracts vitronectin and laminin at separate binding sites, proving the multifunctional nature of the adhesin. This previously unknown PE-dependent interaction with laminin may contribute to NTHi colonization, particularly in smokers with COPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresia Hallström
- Medical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine Malmö, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
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47
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A surface enolase participates in Borrelia burgdorferi-plasminogen interaction and contributes to pathogen survival within feeding ticks. Infect Immun 2011; 80:82-90. [PMID: 22025510 DOI: 10.1128/iai.05671-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, a tick-borne bacterial pathogen, causes a disseminated infection involving multiple organs known as Lyme disease. Surface proteins can directly participate in microbial virulence by facilitating pathogen dissemination via interaction with host factors. We show here that a fraction of the B. burgdorferi chromosomal gene product BB0337, annotated as enolase or phosphopyruvate dehydratase, is associated with spirochete outer membrane and is surface exposed. B. burgdorferi enolase, either in a recombinant form or as a membrane-bound native antigen, displays enzymatic activities intrinsic to the glycolytic pathway. However, the protein also interacts with host plasminogen, potentially leading to its activation and resulting in B. burgdorferi-induced fibrinolysis. As expected, enolase displayed consistent expression in vivo, however, with a variable temporal and spatial expression during spirochete infection in mice and ticks. Despite an extracellular exposure of the antigen and a potential role in host-pathogen interaction, active immunization of mice with recombinant enolase failed to evoke protective immunity against subsequent B. burgdorferi infection. In contrast, enolase immunization of murine hosts significantly reduced the acquisition of spirochetes by feeding ticks, suggesting that the protein could have a stage-specific role in B. burgdorferi survival in the feeding vector. Strategies to interfere with the function of surface enolase could contribute to the development of novel preventive measures to interrupt the spirochete infection cycle and reduce the incidences of Lyme disease.
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48
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Salo J, Loimaranta V, Lahdenne P, Viljanen MK, Hytönen J. Decorin binding by DbpA and B of Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu Stricto. J Infect Dis 2011; 204:65-73. [PMID: 21628660 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jir207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Decorin adherence is crucial in the pathogenesis of Lyme borreliosis. Decorin-binding proteins (Dbp) A and B are the adhesins that mediate this interaction. DbpA and B of Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (ss) differ in their amino acid sequence, but little attention has been paid to the potential difference in their decorin binding. METHODS We expressed recombinant DbpA and DbpB of B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. burgdorferi ss and studied their binding to decorin. We also generated recombinant Borrelia strains to study the role of DbpA and DbpB in the adhesion of live spirochetes to decorin and decorin-expressing cells. RESULTS. Recombinant DbpA of B. garinii and DbpB of B. garinii and B. burgdorferi ss showed strong binding to decorin, whereas DbpA of B. burgdorferi ss and both DbpA and DbpB of B. afzelii exhibited no or only minor binding activity. DbpA and DbpB of B. garinii and B. burgdorferi ss also supported the adhesion of whole spirochetes to decorin and decorin-expressing cells, whereas DbpA and DbpB of B. afzelii did not exhibit this activity. CONCLUSIONS Dbp A and B of B. garinii and B. burgdorferi ss mediate the interaction between the spirochete and decorin, whereas the same adhesins of B. afzelii show only negligible activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jemiina Salo
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 13, Turku, Finland.
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49
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Antonara S, Ristow L, Coburn J. Adhesion mechanisms of Borrelia burgdorferi. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 715:35-49. [PMID: 21557056 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-0940-9_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The Borrelia are widely distributed agents of Lyme disease and Relapsing Fever. All are vector-borne zoonotic pathogens, have segmented genomes, and enigmatic mechanisms of pathogenesis. Adhesion to mammalian and tick substrates is one pathogenic mechanism that has been widely studied. At this point, the primary focus of research in this area has been on Borrelia burgdorferi, one agent of Lyme disease, but many of the adhesins of B. burgdorferi are conserved in other Lyme disease agents, and some are conserved in the Relapsing Fever Borrelia. B. burgdorferi adhesins that mediate attachment to cell-surface molecules may influence the host response to the bacteria, while adhesins that mediate attachment to soluble proteins or extracellular matrix components may cloak the bacterial surface from recognition by the host immune system as well as facilitate colonization of tissues. While targeted mutations in the genes encoding some adhesins have been shown to affect the infectivity and pathogenicity of B. burgdorferi, much work remains to be done to understand the roles of the adhesins in promoting the persistent infection required to maintain the bacteria in reservoir hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Styliani Antonara
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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50
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Schmit VL, Patton TG, Gilmore RD. Analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi Surface Proteins as Determinants in Establishing Host Cell Interactions. Front Microbiol 2011; 2:141. [PMID: 21747816 PMCID: PMC3129520 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2011.00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2011] [Accepted: 06/14/2011] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi infection causes Lyme borreliosis in humans, a condition which can involve a systemic spread of the organism to colonize various tissues and organs. If the infection is left untreated by antimicrobials, it can lead to manifestations including, arthritis, carditis, and/or neurological problems. Identification and characterization of B. burgdorferi outer membrane proteins that facilitate cellular attachment and invasion to establish infection continue to be investigated. In this study, we sought to further define putative cell binding properties of surface-exposed B. burgdorferi proteins by observing whether cellular adherence could be blocked by antibodies. B. burgdorferi mixed separately with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against outer surface protein (Osp) A, OspC, decorin-binding protein (Dbp) A, BBA64, and RevA antigens were incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human neuroglial cells (H4). B. burgdorferi treated with anti-OspA, -DbpA, and -BBA64 mAbs showed a significant decrease in cellular association compared to controls, whereas B. burgdorferi treated with anti-OspC and anti-RevA showed no reduction in cellular attachment. Additionally, temporal transcriptional analyses revealed upregulated expression of bba64, ospA, and dbpA during coincubation with cells. Together, the data provide evidence that OspA, DbpA, and BBA64 function in host cell adherence and infection mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia L Schmit
- Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector Borne Diseases, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fort Collins, CO, USA
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