D3011: Diversity matters: Exploring the genetic variation of Borrelia burgdorferi outer surface proteins in relation to tick and host species interactions

Monday, November 11, 2024

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MST

Location: Phoenix Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 6, PCC

Presenting Author(s)

AL

Anahei Natalie Lara

San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

Co-Author(s)

Andrea Swei, Ph.D. (she/her/hers)

P.I.
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, California

Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, is a tick-borne disease with nearly half a million new cases a year. The pathogen has several outer surface proteins involved in various functions and are differentially expressed as B. burgdorferi moves between different components of its life cycle, namely between the tick vector and vertebrate hosts. These outer surface proteins influence the ability of Borrelia to adapt and survive in different environments by colonizing in the tick’s midgut and evading the hosts immune responses. There are about 35 identified outer surface proteins described in B. burgdorferi, some of which are active when the bacterium is in the tick, while others are expressed in the vertebrate host. This study aims to investigate the genetic diversity of B. burgdorferis outer surface proteins A, B, C and p35. Outer surface proteins A and B are expressed in the tick’s midgut and are essential for the bacterium’s survival in the tick environment while outer surface proteins C and p35 play a role in the tick to vertebrate host transmission which are essential for infecting hosts by evading host immune responses. This research employed molecular techniques to analyze the genetic diversity of outer surface proteins in B. burgdorferi strains collected from 3 Ixodes tick species and 6 mammalian host species from multiple field sites in Northern California. Understanding factors that influenced the genetic diversity of B. burgdorferi and its outer surface proteins is crucial for comprehending disease ecology and developing effective control strategies, including vaccine development.