The Borrelia hermsii factor H binding protein FhbA is not required for infectivity in mice or for resistance to human complement in vitro

• Published in: Infection and immunity Vol. 82; no. 8; pp. 3324 - 3332
• Main Authors: Fine, Lindy M, Miller, Daniel P, Mallory, Katherine L, Tegels, Brittney K, Earnhart, Christopher G, Marconi, Richard T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Microbiology 01.08.2014
• Subjects: Animals; Blood Bactericidal Activity; Borrelia - genetics; Borrelia - immunology; Borrelia hermsii; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Complement System Proteins - immunology; Disease Models, Animal; Gene Deletion; Humans; Mice; Molecular Pathogenesis; Relapsing Fever - immunology; Relapsing Fever - microbiology; Virulence Factors - genetics; Virulence Factors - metabolism

The primary causative agent of tick-borne relapsing fever in North America is Borrelia hermsii. It has been hypothesized that B. hermsii evades complement-mediated destruction by binding factor H (FH), a host-derived negative regulator of complement. In vitro, B. hermsii produces a single FH binding...