A mutagenic PCR identifies isolates of Borrelia garinii responsible for Lyme borreliosis

FEMS Microbiol Lett. 2000 Oct 15;191(2):199-203. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2000.tb09340.x.

Abstract

Borrelia garinii is one of the three major Borreliae responsible for Lyme borreliosis in Europe. We have characterized a protein of B. garinii (VS102) and a genomic fragment from the gene encoding this protein was cloned. The DNA sequence of the fragment showed high homology with a known gene of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. The protein encoded by this gene in B. burgdorferi sensu stricto is a phosphocarrier protein (histidine-containing protein). A mutation T to G polymorphism at codon 57 was found to be specific to B. garinii. A PCR-based approach that allows the rapid detection of this mutation made it possible to specifically discriminate B. garinii from other B. burgdorferi genospecies with high sensitivity and specificity.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins*
  • Base Sequence
  • Borrelia / classification*
  • Borrelia / genetics
  • Borrelia / isolation & purification
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / microbiology*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System / genetics*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System
  • phosphocarrier protein HPr

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF291150
  • GENBANK/AF291151
  • GENBANK/AF291152
  • GENBANK/AF291153
  • GENBANK/AF291154
  • GENBANK/AF291155
  • GENBANK/AF291156