scholarly journals Coordinated Expression of Borrelia burgdorferi Complement Regulator-Acquiring Surface Proteins during the Lyme Disease Spirochete's Mammal-Tick Infection Cycle

2007 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. 4227-4236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Bykowski ◽  
Michael E. Woodman ◽  
Anne E. Cooley ◽  
Catherine A. Brissette ◽  
Volker Brade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Resistance Mechanism ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Tick Infection ◽  
Complement Regulator ◽  
Mammalian Infection

ABSTRACT The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is largely resistant to being killed by its hosts’ alternative complement activation pathway. One possible resistance mechanism of these bacteria is to coat their surfaces with host complement regulators, such as factor H. Five different B. burgdorferi outer surface proteins having affinities for factor H have been identified: complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 1 (BbCRASP-1), encoded by cspA; BbCRASP-2, encoded by cspZ; and three closely related proteins, BbCRASP-3, -4, and -5, encoded by erpP, erpC, and erpA, respectively. We now present analyses of the recently identified BbCRASP-2 and cspZ expression patterns throughout the B. burgdorferi infectious cycle, plus novel analyses of BbCRASP-1 and erp-encoded BbCRASPs. Our results, combined with data from earlier studies, indicate that BbCRASP-2 is produced primarily during established mammalian infection, while BbCRASP-1 is produced during tick-to-mammal and mammal-to-tick transmission stages but not during established mammalian infection, and Erp-BbCRASPs are produced from the time of transmission from infected ticks into mammals until they are later acquired by other feeding ticks. Transcription of cspZ and synthesis of BbCRASP-2 were severely repressed during cultivation in laboratory medium relative to mRNA levels observed during mammalian infection, and cspZ expression was influenced by culture temperature and pH, observations which will assist identification of the mechanisms employed by B. burgdorferi to control expression of this borrelial infection-associated protein.

scholarly journals Borrelia burgdorferi complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (BbCRASPs): Expression patterns during the mammal–tick infection cycle

2008 ◽  
Vol 298 ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Bykowski ◽  
Michael E. Woodman ◽  
Anne E. Cooley ◽  
Catherine A. Brissette ◽  
Reinhard Wallich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Infection Cycle ◽  
Tick Infection ◽  
Complement Regulator

scholarly journals Borrelia burgdorferi Infection-Associated Surface Proteins ErpP, ErpA, and ErpC Bind Human Plasminogen

2008 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 300-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine A. Brissette ◽  
Katrin Haupt ◽  
Diana Barthel ◽  
Anne E. Cooley ◽  
Amy Bowman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Aminocaproic Acid ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Lysine Residues ◽  
Complement Regulator ◽  
Mammalian Infection

ABSTRACT Host-derived plasmin plays a critical role in mammalian infection by Borrelia burgdorferi. The Lyme disease spirochete expresses several plasminogen-binding proteins. Bound plasminogen is converted to the serine protease plasmin and thereby may facilitate the bacterium's dissemination throughout the host by degrading extracellular matrix. In this work, we demonstrate plasminogen binding by three highly similar borrelial outer surface proteins, ErpP, ErpA, and ErpC, all of which are expressed during mammalian infection. Extensive characterization of ErpP demonstrated that this protein bound in a dose-dependent manner to lysine binding site I of plasminogen. Removal of three lysine residues from the carboxy terminus of ErpP significantly reduced binding of plasminogen, and the presence of a lysine analog, ε-aminocaproic acid, inhibited the ErpP-plasminogen interaction, thus strongly pointing to a primary role for lysine residues in plasminogen binding. Ionic interactions are not required in ErpP binding of plasminogen, as addition of excess NaCl or the polyanion heparin did not have any significant effect on binding. Plasminogen bound to ErpP could be converted to the active enzyme, plasmin. The three plasminogen-binding Erp proteins can also bind the host complement regulator factor H. Plasminogen and factor H bound simultaneously and did not compete for binding to ErpP, indicating separate binding sites for both host ligands and the ability of the borrelial surface proteins to bind both host proteins.

scholarly journals Borrelia burgdorferi Binding of Host Complement Regulator Factor H Is Not Required for Efficient Mammalian Infection

2007 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 3131-3139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Woodman ◽  
Anne E. Cooley ◽  
Jennifer C. Miller ◽  
John J. Lazarus ◽  
Kathryn Tucker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Alternative Pathway ◽  
Host Factor ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Factor B ◽  
Mammalian Infection ◽  
Deficient Mice

ABSTRACT The causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is naturally resistant to its host's alternative pathway of complement-mediated killing. Several different borrelial outer surface proteins have been identified as being able to bind host factor H, a regulator of the alternative pathway, leading to a hypothesis that such binding is important for borrelial resistance to complement. To test this hypothesis, the development of B. burgdorferi infection was compared between factor H-deficient and wild-type mice. Factor B- and C3-deficient mice were also studied to determine the relative roles of the alternative and classical/lectin pathways in B. burgdorferi survival during mammalian infection. While it was predicted that B. burgdorferi should be impaired in its ability to infect factor H-deficient animals, quantitative analyses of bacterial loads indicated that those mice were infected at levels similar to those of wild-type and factor B- and C3-deficient mice. Ticks fed on infected factor H-deficient or wild-type mice all acquired similar numbers of bacteria. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis of B. burgdorferi acquired by feeding ticks from the blood of infected mice indicated that none of the bacteria had detectable levels of factor H on their outer surfaces, even though such bacteria express high levels of surface proteins capable of binding factor H. These findings demonstrate that the acquisition of host factor H is not essential for mammalian infection by B. burgdorferi and indicate that additional mechanisms are employed by the Lyme disease spirochete to evade complement-mediated killing.

scholarly journals Borrelia burgdorferi Regulates Expression of Complement Regulator-Acquiring Surface Protein 1 during the Mammal-Tick Infection Cycle

2005 ◽  
Vol 73 (11) ◽  
pp. 7398-7405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate von Lackum ◽  
Jennifer C. Miller ◽  
Tomasz Bykowski ◽  
Sean P. Riley ◽  
Michael E. Woodman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Immune Evasion ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Complement Factor ◽  
Human Pathogens ◽  
Infection Cycle ◽  
Tick Infection ◽  
Complement Regulator

ABSTRACT During the natural mammal-tick infection cycle, the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi comes into contact with components of the alternative complement pathway. B. burgdorferi, like many other human pathogens, has evolved the immune evasion strategy of binding two host-derived fluid-phase regulators of complement, factor H and factor H-like protein 1 (FHL-1). The borrelial complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 1 (CRASP-1) is a surface-exposed lipoprotein that binds both factor H and FHL-1. Analysis of CRASP-1 expression during the mammal-tick infectious cycle indicated that B. burgdorferi expresses this protein during mammalian infection, supporting the hypothesized role for CRASP-1 in immune evasion. However, CRASP-1 synthesis was repressed in bacteria during colonization of vector ticks. Analysis of cultured bacteria indicated that CRASP-1 is differentially expressed in response to changes in pH. Comparisons of CRASP-1 expression patterns with those of other infection-associated B. burgdorferi proteins, including the OspC, OspA, and Erp proteins, indicated that each protein is regulated through a unique mechanism.

scholarly journals Differential Binding of Host Complement Inhibitor Factor H by Borrelia burgdorferi Erp Surface Proteins: a Possible Mechanism Underlying the Expansive Host Range of Lyme Disease Spirochetes

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 491-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Stevenson ◽  
Nazira El-Hage ◽  
Melissa A. Hines ◽  
Jennifer C. Miller ◽  
Kelly Babb
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Host Range ◽  
General Characteristic ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Broad Host Range ◽  
Complement Inhibitor ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Mammalian Infection

ABSTRACT The Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, is capable of infecting a wide variety of vertebrates. This broad host range implies that B. burgdorferi possesses the ability to contravene the immune defenses of many potential hosts. B. burgdorferi produces multiple different Erp proteins on its outer membrane during mammalian infection. It was reported previously that one Erp protein can bind human factor H (J. Hellwage, T. Meri, T. Heikkilä, A. Alitalo, J. Panelius, P. Lahdenne, I. J. T. Seppälä, and S. Meri, J. Biol. Chem. 276:8427–8435, 2001). In this paper we report that the ability to bind the complement inhibitor factor H is a general characteristic of Erp proteins. Furthermore, each Erp protein exhibits different relative affinities for the complement inhibitors of various potential animal hosts. The data suggest that the presence of multiple Erp proteins on the surface can allow a single B. burgdorferi bacterium to resist complement-mediated killing in any of the wide range of potential hosts that it might infect. Thus, Erp proteins likely contribute to the persistence of B. burgdorferi in nature and to the ability of this bacterium to cause Lyme disease in humans and other animals.

scholarly journals Borrelia burgdorferi Complement Regulator-Acquiring Surface Protein 1 of the Lyme Disease Spirochetes Is Expressed in Humans and Induces Antibody Responses Restricted to Nondenatured Structural Determinants

2006 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
pp. 7024-7028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Rossmann ◽  
Veronique Kitiratschky ◽  
Heidelore Hofmann ◽  
Peter Kraiczy ◽  
Markus M. Simon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Surface Protein ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Serum Samples ◽  
Structural Determinants ◽  
Pathogen Persistence ◽  
Complement Regulator

ABSTRACT Borrelia burgdorferi complement regulator-acquiring surface protein 1 (CRASP-1), the dominant factor H and FHL-1-binding protein of the Lyme disease spirochete B. burgdorferi, is implicated in pathogen persistence and was recently reported to be nonimmunogenic in humans. Here we show that serum samples from Lyme disease patients contain antibodies with exclusive specificity for nondenatured structural determinants of CRASP-1.

scholarly journals LuxS-Mediated Quorum Sensing in Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme Disease Spirochete

2002 ◽  
Vol 70 (8) ◽  
pp. 4099-4105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Stevenson ◽  
Kelly Babb
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Quorum Sensing ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Autoinducer 2 ◽  
Specific Proteins ◽  
Complement Regulator ◽  
Regulate Protein ◽  
Infection Processes

ABSTRACT The establishment of Borrelia burgdorferi infection involves numerous interactions between the bacteria and a variety of vertebrate host and arthropod vector tissues. This complex process requires regulated synthesis of many bacterial proteins. We now demonstrate that these spirochetes utilize a LuxS/autoinducer-2 (AI-2)-based quorum-sensing mechanism to regulate protein expression, the first system of cell-cell communication to be described in a spirochete. The luxS gene of B. burgdorferi was identified and demonstrated to encode a functional enzyme by complementation of an Escherichia coli luxS mutant. Cultured B. burgdorferi responded to AI-2 by altering the expression levels of a large number of proteins, including the complement regulator factor H-binding Erp proteins. Through this mechanism, a population of Lyme disease spirochetes may synchronize production of specific proteins needed for infection processes.

scholarly journals Distinct Regulatory Pathways Control Expression ofBorrelia burgdorferi Infection-Associated OspC and Erp Surface Proteins

2001 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 4146-4153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Babb ◽  
Nazira El-Hage ◽  
Jennifer C. Miller ◽  
James A. Carroll ◽  
Brian Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Dna Binding ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Dna Binding Proteins ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Control Synthesis ◽  
Regulatory Pathways ◽  
Promoter Dna ◽  
Mammalian Infection

ABSTRACT Deciphering the mechanisms by which Borrelia burgdorferi controls the synthesis of proteins associated with mammalian infection will be an important step toward understanding the pathogenic properties of Lyme disease-causing bacteria. We present results of studies indicating that B. burgdorferi senses a wide variety of environmental stimuli, including soluble chemicals, which enables it to independently control synthesis of the Erp and OspC proteins. Regulation of OspC and Erp expression appears to occur at the level of transcription. In this regard, we observed that one or more DNA-binding proteins interact specifically with erppromoter DNA but not with the ospC promoter.

scholarly journals Molecular Characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi erp Promoter/Operator Elements

2004 ◽  
Vol 186 (9) ◽  
pp. 2745-2756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Babb ◽  
Jason D. McAlister ◽  
Jennifer C. Miller ◽  
Brian Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Fluorescent Protein ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Surface Proteins ◽  
Virulence Determinants ◽  
Transcriptional Initiation ◽  
Bacterial Proteins ◽  
Complement Regulator ◽  
Green Fluorescent

ABSTRACT Many Borrelia burgdorferi Erp outer surface proteins have been demonstrated to bind the host complement regulator factor H, which likely contributes to the ability of these organisms to evade the host innate immune system. B. burgdorferi controls Erp protein synthesis throughout the bacterial infectious cycle, producing the proteins during mammalian infections but repressing their synthesis during tick infections. Defining the mechanism by which B. burgdorferi regulates the expression of these virulence determinants will provide important insight into the biological and pathogenic properties of the Lyme disease spirochete. The present study demonstrates that two highly conserved DNA sequences located 5′ of erp operons specifically bind bacterial proteins. Analyses with B. burgdorferi of transcriptional fusions between erp promoter/operator DNAs and the gene for green fluorescent protein indicated that the expression of these operons is regulated at the level of transcriptional initiation. These analyses also indicated significant differences in the promoter strengths of various erp operons, which likely accounts for reported variations in expression levels of different Erp proteins. Mutagenesis of promoter-gfp fusions demonstrated that at least one of the proteins which bind erp operator DNA functions as a repressor of transcription.

scholarly journals The Factor H-Binding Site of CspZ as a Protective Target against Multistrain, Tick-Transmitted Lyme Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley L. Marcinkiewicz ◽  
Ilva Lieknina ◽  
Xiuli Yang ◽  
Patricia L. Lederman ◽  
Thomas M. Hart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lyme Disease ◽  
Borrelia Burgdorferi ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Causative Agent ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Factor H ◽  
Tick Feeding ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Complement Regulator

ABSTRACT The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is the causative agent of Lyme disease (LD). The spirochetes produce the CspZ protein that binds to a complement regulator, factor H (FH). Such binding downregulates activation of host complement to facilitate spirochete evasion of complement killing. However, vaccination with CspZ does not protect against LD infection. In this study, we demonstrated that immunization with CspZ-YA, a CspZ mutant protein with no FH-binding activity, protected mice from infection by several spirochete genotypes introduced via tick feeding. We found that the sera from CspZ-YA-vaccinated mice more efficiently eliminated spirochetes and blocked CspZ FH-binding activity than sera from CspZ-immunized mice. We also found that vaccination with CspZ, but not CspZ-YA, triggered the production of anti-FH antibodies, justifying CspZ-YA as an LD vaccine candidate. The mechanistic and efficacy information derived from this study provides insights into the development of a CspZ-based LD vaccine.

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