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Shikov AE, Savina IA, Nizhnikov AA, Antonets KS. Recombination in Bacterial Genomes: Evolutionary Trends. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 15:568. [PMID: 37755994 PMCID: PMC10534446 DOI: 10.3390/toxins15090568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial organisms have undergone homologous recombination (HR) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) multiple times during their history. These processes could increase fitness to new environments, cause specialization, the emergence of new species, and changes in virulence. Therefore, comprehensive knowledge of the impact and intensity of genetic exchanges and the location of recombination hotspots on the genome is necessary for understanding the dynamics of adaptation to various conditions. To this end, we aimed to characterize the functional impact and genomic context of computationally detected recombination events by analyzing genomic studies of any bacterial species, for which events have been detected in the last 30 years. Genomic loci where the transfer of DNA was detected pertained to mobile genetic elements (MGEs) housing genes that code for proteins engaged in distinct cellular processes, such as secretion systems, toxins, infection effectors, biosynthesis enzymes, etc. We found that all inferences fall into three main lifestyle categories, namely, ecological diversification, pathogenesis, and symbiosis. The latter primarily exhibits ancestral events, thus, possibly indicating that adaptation appears to be governed by similar recombination-dependent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton E. Shikov
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Iuliia A. Savina
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
| | - Anton A. Nizhnikov
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Kirill S. Antonets
- Laboratory for Proteomics of Supra-Organismal Systems, All-Russia Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology (ARRIAM), 196608 St. Petersburg, Russia; (A.E.S.); (I.A.S.); (A.A.N.)
- Faculty of Biology, St. Petersburg State University (SPbSU), 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
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2
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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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3
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Whole genome sequence and comparative analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi MM1. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198135. [PMID: 29889842 PMCID: PMC5995427 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Lyme disease is caused by spirochaetes of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato genospecies. Complete genome assemblies are available for fewer than ten strains of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, the primary cause of Lyme disease in North America. MM1 is a sensu stricto strain originally isolated in the midwestern United States. Aside from a small number of genes, the complete genome sequence of this strain has not been reported. Here we present the complete genome sequence of MM1 in relation to other sensu stricto strains and in terms of its Multi Locus Sequence Typing. Our results indicate that MM1 is a new sequence type which contains a conserved main chromosome and 15 plasmids. Our results include the first contiguous 28.5 kb assembly of lp28-8, a linear plasmid carrying the vls antigenic variation system, from a Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strain.
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4
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Lemgruber L, Sant'Anna C, Griffths C, Abud Y, Mhlanga M, Wallich R, Frischknecht F. Nanoscopic Localization of Surface-Exposed Antigens of Borrelia burgdorferi. MICROSCOPY AND MICROANALYSIS : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY SOCIETY OF AMERICA, MICROBEAM ANALYSIS SOCIETY, MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 2015; 21:680-688. [PMID: 25739645 DOI: 10.1017/s1431927615000318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of Lyme disease, is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Ixodes spp. ticks. Successful infection of vertebrate hosts necessitates sophisticated means of the pathogen to escape the vertebrates' immune system. One strategy employed by Lyme disease spirochetes to evade adaptive immunity involves a highly coordinated regulation of the expression of outer surface proteins that is vital for infection, dissemination, and persistence. Here we characterized the expression pattern of bacterial surface antigens using different microscopy techniques, from fluorescent wide field to super-resolution and immunogold-scanning electron microscopy. A fluorescent strain of B. burgdorferi spirochetes was labeled with monoclonal antibodies directed against various bacterial surface antigens. Our results indicate that OspA is more evenly distributed over the surface than OspB and OspC that were present as punctate areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Lemgruber
- 1Department of Infectious Diseases - Parasitology,Im Neuenheimer Feld 324,University of Heidelberg Medical School,69120, Heidelberg,Germany
| | - Celso Sant'Anna
- 2Laboratory of Microscopy for Life Sciences,Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada às Ciências da Vida - Dimav,Instituto Nacional de Metrologia,Qualidade e Tecnologia - Inmetro,25250-020,Duque de Caxias,Rio de Janeiro,Brazil
| | - Caron Griffths
- 4Gene Expression and Biophysics Group,Synthetic Biology Emerging Research Area,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research,Box 395,Pretoria 0001S,South Africa
| | - Yuri Abud
- 2Laboratory of Microscopy for Life Sciences,Diretoria de Metrologia Aplicada às Ciências da Vida - Dimav,Instituto Nacional de Metrologia,Qualidade e Tecnologia - Inmetro,25250-020,Duque de Caxias,Rio de Janeiro,Brazil
| | - Musa Mhlanga
- 4Gene Expression and Biophysics Group,Synthetic Biology Emerging Research Area,Council for Scientific and Industrial Research,Box 395,Pretoria 0001S,South Africa
| | - Reinhard Wallich
- 5Institute for Immunology,Im Neuenheimer Feld 305,University of Heidelberg Medical School,69120,Heidelberg,Germany
| | - Friedrich Frischknecht
- 1Department of Infectious Diseases - Parasitology,Im Neuenheimer Feld 324,University of Heidelberg Medical School,69120, Heidelberg,Germany
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5
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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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6
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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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7
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Brissette CA, Rossmann E, Bowman A, Cooley AE, Riley SP, Hunfeld KP, Bechtel M, Kraiczy P, Stevenson B. The borrelial fibronectin-binding protein RevA is an early antigen of human Lyme disease. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2010; 17:274-80. [PMID: 20032216 PMCID: PMC2815533 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00437-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2009] [Revised: 11/23/2009] [Accepted: 12/13/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies using small numbers of serum samples from human patients and experimentally infected animals identified the frequent presence of antibodies recognizing RevA, a borrelial fibronectin-binding outer surface protein. We now demonstrate that most examined Lyme disease spirochetes from North America and Europe contain genes encoding RevA proteins, some with extensive regions of conservation and others with moderate diversity. Line blot analyses using recombinant RevA from two diverse Lyme disease spirochetes of RevA and serum samples from culture-confirmed human Lyme disease patients from the United States (n = 46, mainly with early Lyme disease) and Germany (>500, with early and late manifestations of Lyme disease) were performed. The results indicated that a sizable proportion of patients produced antibodies that recognized recombinant RevA. Overall, RevA-based serological studies were less sensitive and less specific than other assay types, such as the VlsE-based C6 peptide assay. However, sera from patients in the initial stages of Lyme disease contained antibodies against RevA, demonstrating that this protein is expressed early in human infection. Thus, RevA may be a useful target for preventative or curative therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Brissette
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Chandler Medical Center MN469, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA.
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8
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Miller JC. Example of real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (Q-RT-PCR) analysis of bacterial gene expression during mammalian infection: Borrelia burgdorferi in mouse tissues. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN MICROBIOLOGY 2008; Chapter 1D:Unit 1D.3. [PMID: 18770562 DOI: 10.1002/9780471729259.mc01d03s00] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
This unit provides a chronological in-depth description of all protocols needed for quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (Q-RT-PCR) analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi gene expression within infected mouse tissues. Specifically, this unit discusses the extraction of RNA from infected mouse tissues, removal of contaminating genomic DNA from the purified RNA, preparation of cDNA and genomic DNA standards, LightCycler-based PCR, and a relative quantification analysis of the cDNA. Q-RT-PCR as a highly relevant and powerful tool used to detect gene expression by bacteria within mammalian host tissues. It is also an invaluable technique used to measure and assess the small differences in expression that can exist among a set of genes, whereas this type of analysis is not feasible using less-sensitive techniques such as indirect immunofluorescence analysis or qualitative RT-PCR. Although the protocols described herein are tailored for B. burgdorferi, they are broadly applicable to other microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer C Miller
- University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, Kentucky, USA
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9
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A genome-wide proteome array reveals a limited set of immunogens in natural infections of humans and white-footed mice with Borrelia burgdorferi. Infect Immun 2008; 76:3374-89. [PMID: 18474646 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00048-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans and other animals with Lyme borreliosis produce antibodies to a number of components of the agent Borrelia burgdorferi, but a full accounting of the immunogens during natural infections has not been achieved. Employing a protein array produced in vitro from 1,292 DNA fragments representing approximately 80% of the genome, we compared the antibody reactivities of sera from patients with early or later Lyme borreliosis to the antibody reactivities of sera from controls. Overall, approximately 15% of the open reading frame (ORF) products (Orfs) of B. burgdorferi in the array detectably elicited an antibody response in humans with natural infections. Among the immunogens, 103 stood out on the basis of statistical criteria. The majority of these Orfs were also immunogenic with sera obtained from naturally infected Peromyscus leucopus mice, a major reservoir. The high-ranking set included several B. burgdorferi proteins hitherto unrecognized as immunogens, as well as several proteins that have been established as antigens. The high-ranking immunogens were more likely than nonreactive Orfs to have the following characteristics: (i) plasmid-encoded rather than chromosome-encoded proteins, (ii) a predicted lipoprotein, and (iii) a member of a paralogous family of proteins, notably the Bdr and Erp proteins. The newly discovered antigens included Orfs encoded by several ORFs of the lp36 linear plasmid, such as BBK07 and BBK19, and proteins of the flagellar apparatus, such as FliL. These results indicate that the majority of deduced proteins of B. burgdorferi do not elicit antibody responses during infection and that the limited sets of immunogens are similar for two different host species.
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10
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Kraiczy P, Seling A, Brissette CA, Rossmann E, Hunfeld KP, Bykowski T, Burns LH, Troese MJ, Cooley AE, Miller JC, Brade V, Wallich R, Casjens S, Stevenson B. Borrelia burgdorferi complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 2 (CspZ) as a serological marker of human Lyme disease. CLINICAL AND VACCINE IMMUNOLOGY : CVI 2008; 15:484-91. [PMID: 18160620 PMCID: PMC2268266 DOI: 10.1128/cvi.00415-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2007] [Revised: 11/19/2007] [Accepted: 12/14/2007] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Serological diagnosis of Lyme disease may be complicated by antigenic differences between infecting organisms and those used as test references. Accordingly, it would be helpful to include antigens whose sequences are well conserved by a broad range of Lyme disease spirochetes. In the present study, line blot analyses were performed using recombinant complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 2 (BbCRASP-2) from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strain B31 and serum samples from human Lyme disease patients from throughout the United States and Germany. The results indicated that a large proportion of the patients had produced antibodies recognizing recombinant BbCRASP-2. In addition, Lyme disease spirochetes isolated from across North America and Europe were found to contain genes encoding proteins with high degrees of similarity to the B. burgdorferi type strain B31 BbCRASP-2, consistent with the high percentage of serologically positive patients. These data indicate that BbCRASP-2 may be valuable for use in a widely effective serological assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kraiczy
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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11
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Behera A, Durand E, Cugini C, Antonara S, Bourassa L, Hildebrand E, Hu L, Coburn J. Borrelia burgdorferi BBB07 interaction with integrin alpha3beta1 stimulates production of pro-inflammatory mediators in primary human chondrocytes. Cell Microbiol 2007; 10:320-31. [PMID: 17822440 PMCID: PMC2586958 DOI: 10.1111/j.1462-5822.2007.01043.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, activates multiple signalling pathways leading to induction of pro-inflammatory mediators at sites of inflammation. Binding of B. burgdorferi to integrin alpha(3)beta(1) on human chondrocytes activates signalling leading to release of several pro-inflammatory mediators, but the B. burgdorferi protein that binds integrin alpha(3)beta(1) and elicits this response has remained unknown. A search of the B. burgdorferi genome for a canonical integrin binding motif, the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) tripeptide, revealed several candidate ligands for integrins. In this study we show that one of these candidates, BBB07, binds to integrin alpha(3)beta(1) and inhibits attachment of intact B. burgdorferi to the same integrin. BBB07 is expressed during murine infection as demonstrated by recognition by infected mouse sera. Recombinant purified BBB07 induces pro-inflammatory mediators in primary human chondrocyte cells by interaction with integrin alpha(3)beta(1). This interaction is specific, as P66, another integrin ligand of B. burgdorferi, does not activate signalling through alpha(3)beta(1). In summary, we have identified a B. burgdorferi protein, BBB07, that interacts with integrin alpha(3)beta(1) and stimulates production of pro-inflammatory mediators in primary human chondrocyte cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aruna Behera
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Enrique Durand
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
| | - Carla Cugini
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Styliani Antonara
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
| | - Lori Bourassa
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
| | - Ethan Hildebrand
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA
| | - Linden Hu
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
- Graduate Program in Immunology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
| | - Jenifer Coburn
- Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Tufts-New England Medical Center, Boston, MA
- Graduate Program in Molecular Microbiology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
- Graduate Program in Immunology, Tufts University Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences
- Corresponding author: Div. of GeoMed/ID, NEMC box 41, Tufts-New England Medical Center, 750 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111. , phone (517)636-5952, fax (617)636-3216
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12
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Stevenson B, Miller JC. Intra- and interbacterial genetic exchange of Lyme disease spirochete erp genes generates sequence identity amidst diversity. J Mol Evol 2004; 57:309-24. [PMID: 14629041 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-003-2482-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
All isolates of the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi contain multiple, different plasmids of the cp32 family, each of which contains a locus encoding Erp surface proteins. Many of these proteins are known to bind host complement regulatory factor H, enabling the bacteria to avoid killing by the alternative complement pathway during vertebrate infection. In the present study, we characterized the erp loci and cp32 plasmids of strains N40, Sh-2-82, and 297 and compared them to the previously determined cp32 sequences of type strain B31. Bacteria of strain N40 contain 6 different cp32s, those of Sh-2-82 contain 10, and 297 bacteria contain 9 cp32s. Significant conservation between all strains was noted for the cp32 loci responsible for plasmid maintenance, indicating close relationships that appear to correspond with incompatibility groups. In contrast, considerable diversity was found between erp gene sequences, both within individual bacteria and between different strains. However, examples of identities among erp loci were found, with strains Sh-2-82, 297, and B31 each containing three identical loci that likely arose through intrabacterial genetic rearrangements. These studies also found the first evidence of large-scale genetic exchanges between Lyme disease spirochetes in nature, including the apparent transfer of an entire cp32 plasmid between two different bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Stevenson
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, MS415 Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA.
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13
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Embers ME, Ramamoorthy R, Philipp MT. Survival strategies of Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. Microbes Infect 2004; 6:312-8. [PMID: 15065567 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2003.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
To fight, flee or hide are the imperatives of long-term survival by an infectious microbe. Active immune suppression, induction of immune tolerance, phase and antigenic variation, intracellular seclusion, and incursion into immune privileged sites are examples of survival strategies of persistent pathogens. Here we critically review the supporting evidence for possible stratagems utilized by Borrelia burgdorferi, the spirochete that causes Lyme disease, to persist in the mammalian host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica E Embers
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, Covington, LA 70433, USA
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14
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Pinne M, Östberg Y, Comstedt P, Bergström S. Molecular analysis of the channel-forming protein P13 and its paralogue family 48 from different Lyme disease Borrelia species. Microbiology (Reading) 2004; 150:549-559. [PMID: 14993304 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.26728-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The aetiological agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi cycles between its tick vector and mammalian hosts, implying that it can sense different environments and consequently change the expression of genes encoding several surface-associated proteins. The genome of the type strain B. burgdorferi B31 has revealed 175 different gene families. The p13 gene, situated on the chromosome, encodes a channel-forming protein that belongs to the gene family 48 consisting of eight additional paralogous genes. The heterogeneity of the P13 protein from different Lyme disease Borrelia strains was investigated. The predicted surface-exposed domains are the most heterogeneous regions and contain probable epitopes of P13. The membrane-spanning architecture of P13 was determined and a model for the location of this protein in the outer membrane is presented. The transcription of the paralogues of gene family 48 during in vitro culturing and in a mouse infection model was also analysed. The bba01 gene is the only p13 paralogue present in all three Lyme-disease-causing genospecies; it is stable during cultivation in vitro and the BBA01 protein was expressed in all Borrelia strains investigated. Conversely, paralogues bbi31, bbq06 and bbh41 were only detected in B. burgdorferi and the corresponding plasmids harbouring bbi31 and bbh41 were lost during in vitro passage. Finally, p13 and bbi31 are the only members of gene family 48 that are transcribed in mice, suggesting their importance during mammalian infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Pinne
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Yngve Östberg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pär Comstedt
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Sven Bergström
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
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