Molecular analysis of genes encoding outer surface protein C (OspC) of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato: relationship to ospA genotype and evidence of lateral gene exchange of ospC

Jauris-Heipke, Sigrid; Liegl, G; Preac-Mursic, V.; Rössler, Dieter; Schwab, Ernie; Soutschek, Erwin; Will, G; Wilske, Bettina

doi:10.1128/jcm.33.7.1860-1866.1995

Cited by 100 publications

(64 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Heterogeneity of the ospC gene sequence is well documented (Rosa et al, 1992;Livey et al, 1995). However, it is thought to be caused by lateral gene transfer and evolutionary divergence (Jauris-Heipke et al, 1995). Nevertheless, our results indicate the possibility of an antigenic variation mechanism involving recombination between two (at least) resident copies of the ospC gene.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

An experimental chain of infection reveals that distinct Borrelia burgdorferi populations are selected in arthropod and mammalian hosts

Ryan

Levine

Apperson

et al. 1998

Molecular Microbiology

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SummaryThe prokaryotic, spirochaetal microorganism Borrelia burgdorferi is the causative agent of Lyme disease, an arthropod-borne disease of a variety of vertebrates and the most prevalent arthropod-borne disease of humans in the United States. In order to understand better the normal life cycle of B. burgdorferi, an experimental chain of infection was devised that involved multiple sequential arthropod and mammalian passages. By examining populations of B. burgdorferi emerging from different points in this infectious chain, we demonstrate that selection of B. burgdorferi populations peculiar to arthropod or vertebrate hosts is a property of at least one of the two ecologically distinct strains we examined. Distinct B. burgdorferi populations were identified using an antigenic profile, defined by a set of monoclonal antibodies to eight B. burgdorferi antigens, and a plasmid profile, defined by the naturally occurring plasmids in the starting clonal populations. These two profiles constituted the phenotypical signature of the population. In the strain exhibiting selection in the different hosts, transition from one host to another produced a striking series of alternating phenotypical signatures down the chain of infection. At the molecular level, the alternating signatures were manifested as a reciprocal relationship between the expression of certain antigenic forms of outer surface protein (Osp) B and OspC. In the case of OspC, the antigenic changes could be correlated to the presence of one of two distinctly different alleles of the ospC gene in a full-length and presumably transcriptionally active state. In the case of OspB, two alleles were again identified. However, their differences were minor and their relationship to OspB antigenic variation more complicated. In addition to the reciprocating changes in the antigenic profile, a reciprocating change in the size (probably the multimeric state) of a 9.0 kbp supercoiled plasmid was also noted. Selection of distinct populations in the tick may be responsible for the microorganism's ability to infect a wide range of vertebrate hosts efficiently, in that the tick might provide selective pressure for the elimination of the population selected in the previous host.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

An experimental chain of infection reveals that distinct Borrelia burgdorferi populations are selected in arthropod and mammalian hosts

Ryan

Levine

Apperson

et al. 1998

Molecular Microbiology

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“…At all, it is likely that ¢ve of the eight (62.5%) B. valaisiana isolates studied acquired a partial or entire ospC gene from other LB spirochetes. The overall frequency of such an interspecies gene transfer is rather high compared to that reported between B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii and B. afzelii [10,11]. It is thought that intragenic recombination between di¡erent strains requires double infection in the tick or host environment [11].…”

Section: Phylogenetic Analysis Of Ospcmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…OspC, an immunodominant major protein of B. burgdorferi sensu lato, is highly heterogeneous. The amino acid sequence identity of the OspC proteins among di¡erent B. burgdorferi sensu lato species ranges from 63 to 82% [10]. Lateral gene transfer between ospC genes from Borrelia strains within species, and between B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii and B. afzelii has been suggested [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for frequent OspC gene transfer between Borrelia valaisiana sp. nov. and other Lyme disease spirochetes

Wang

1999

FEMS Microbiology Letters

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Molecular polymorphism of the ospC gene has been reported in Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii, the spirochetes causing human Lyme borreliosis. To assess the genetic relationship between ospC genes from the recently described Borrelia valaisiana sp. nov. and other B. burgdorferi sensu lato species, the ospC genes from eight B. valaisiana isolates were amplified by PCR, cloned and sequenced. The ospC genes of three B. valaisiana isolates were identical, but clearly distinct from ospC genes from other Borrelia species. Four B. valaisiana isolates possessed ospC genes more related to those of B. garinii, and fell into a cluster representing B. garinii species in the phylogenetic tree. One isolate had an ospC gene encoding a protein identical to that of B. afzelii strain. Since five of the eight (62.5%) B. valaisiana isolates contained a gene highly homologous or even identical to ospC genes found among B. garinii and B. afzelii strains, our findings indicate that ospC gene transfer occurs between B. valaisiana and other Lyme disease spirochetes. ß

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“…Correlations between the invasive potential of Borrelia and ospC genotype have been discussed previously. For example, four ospC genotypes A, B, I and K have been shown to be associated with systemic disease in human (9)(10)(11)(12).…”

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confidence: 99%

Identification of B‐cell epitopes of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein C by screening a phage‐displayed gene fragment library

Pulzová

Flachbartova

Bencúrová

et al. 2016

Microbiology and Immunology

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Outer surface protein C (OspC) of Borrelia stimulates remarkable immune responses during early infection and is therefore currently considered a leading diagnostic and vaccine candidate. The sensitivity and specificity of serological tests based on whole protein OspC for diagnosis of Lyme disease are still unsatisfactory. Minimal B-cell epitopes are key in the development of reliable immunodiagnostic tools. Using OspC fragments displayed on phage particles (phage library) and anti-OspC antibodies isolated from sera of naturally infected patients, six OspC epitopes capable of distinguishing between LD patient and healthy control sera were identified. Three of these epitopes are located at the N-terminus (OspC E1 aa19-27, OspC E2 aa38-53, OspC E3 aa62-66) and three at the C-terminal end (OspC E4 aa155-163, OspC E5 aa184-190 and OspC E6 aa201-207). OspC E1, E4 and E6 were highly conserved among LD related Borreliae. To our knowledge, epitopes OspC E2, E3 and E5 were identified for the first time in this study. Minimal B-cell epitopes may provide fundamental data for the development of multi-epitope-based diagnostic tools for Lyme disease.

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Molecular analysis of genes encoding outer surface protein C (OspC) of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato: relationship to ospA genotype and evidence of lateral gene exchange of ospC

Cited by 100 publications

References 57 publications

An experimental chain of infection reveals that distinct Borrelia burgdorferi populations are selected in arthropod and mammalian hosts

An experimental chain of infection reveals that distinct Borrelia burgdorferi populations are selected in arthropod and mammalian hosts

Evidence for frequent OspC gene transfer between Borrelia valaisiana sp. nov. and other Lyme disease spirochetes

Identification of B‐cell epitopes of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface protein C by screening a phage‐displayed gene fragment library

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