This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hovis, K. M.
Right arrow Articles by Marconi, R. T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Hovis, K. M.
Right arrow Articles by Marconi, R. T.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Bacteriology, May 2004, p. 2612-2618, Vol. 186, No. 9
0021-9193/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.186.9.2612-2618.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Identification and Characterization of a Linear-Plasmid-Encoded Factor H-Binding Protein (FhbA) of the Relapsing Fever Spirochete Borrelia hermsii

Kelley M. Hovis,1 John V. McDowell,1 LaToya Griffin,1 and Richard T. Marconi1,2*

Department of Microbiology and Immunology,1 Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298-06782

Received 25 November 2003/ Accepted 24 January 2004

In North America, tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF) is caused by the spirochete species Borrelia hermsii, Borrelia parkeri, and Borrelia turicatae. We previously demonstrated that some isolates of B. hermsii and B. parkeri are capable of binding factor H and that cell-bound factor H can participate in the factor I-mediated cleavage of C3b. Isolates that bound factor H expressed a factor H-binding protein (FHBP) that we estimated to be approximately 19 to 20 kDa in size and thus, pending further characterization, temporarily designated FHBP19. Until this report, none of the FHBPs of the TBRF spirochetes had been characterized. Here we have recovered the gene encoding the FHBP of B. hermsii YOR from a lambda ZAP II library and determined its sequence. The gene encodes a full-length protein of 22.7 kDa, which after processing is predicted to be 20.5 kDa. This protein, which we redesignate factor H-binding protein A (FhbA), is unique to B. hermsii. Two-dimensional pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and hybridization analyses revealed that the B. hermsii gene encoding FhbA is a single genetic locus that maps to a linear plasmid of approximately 220 kb. The general properties of FhbA were also assessed. The protein was found to be surface exposed and lipidated. Analysis of the antibody response to FhbA in infected mice revealed that it is antigenic during infection, indicating expression during infection. The identification and characterization of FhbA provides further insight into the molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis of the relapsing fever spirochetes.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, 1112 E. Clay St., McGuire Hall, Room 101, Richmond, VA 23298-0678. Phone: (804) 828-3779. Fax: (804) 828-9946. E-mail: rmarconi{at}hsc.vcu.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, May 2004, p. 2612-2618, Vol. 186, No. 9
0021-9193/04/$08.00+0     DOI: 10.1128/JB.186.9.2612-2618.2004
Copyright © 2004, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Rogers, E. A., Abdunnur, S. V., McDowell, J. V., Marconi, R. T. (2009). Comparative Analysis of the Properties and Ligand Binding Characteristics of CspZ, a Factor H Binding Protein, Derived from Borrelia burgdorferi Isolates of Human Origin. Infect. Immun. 77: 4396-4405 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Woodman, M. E., Cooley, A. E., Avdiushko, R., Bowman, A., Botto, M., Wooten, R. M., van Rooijen, N., Cohen, D. A., Stevenson, B. (2009). Roles for phagocytic cells and complement in controlling relapsing fever infection. J. Leukoc. Biol. 86: 727-736 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McDowell, J. V., Huang, B., Fenno, J. C., Marconi, R. T. (2009). Analysis of a Unique Interaction between the Complement Regulatory Protein Factor H and the Periodontal Pathogen Treponema denticola. Infect. Immun. 77: 1417-1425 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hovis, K. M., Freedman, J. C., Zhang, H., Forbes, J. L., Marconi, R. T. (2008). Identification of an Antiparallel Coiled-Coil/Loop Domain Required for Ligand Binding by the Borrelia hermsii FhbA Protein: Additional Evidence for the Role of FhbA in the Host-Pathogen Interaction. Infect. Immun. 76: 2113-2122 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Colombo, M. J., Alugupalli, K. R. (2008). Complement Factor H-Binding Protein, a Putative Virulence Determinant of Borrelia hermsii, Is an Antigenic Target for Protective B1b Lymphocytes. J. Immunol. 180: 4858-4864 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Noto, M. J., Kreiswirth, B. N., Monk, A. B., Archer, G. L. (2008). Gene Acquisition at the Insertion Site for SCCmec, the Genomic Island Conferring Methicillin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. J. Bacteriol. 190: 1276-1283 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rogers, E. A., Marconi, R. T. (2007). Delineation of Species-Specific Binding Properties of the CspZ Protein (BBH06) of Lyme Disease Spirochetes: Evidence for New Contributions to the Pathogenesis of Borrelia spp.. Infect. Immun. 75: 5272-5281 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rossmann, E., Kraiczy, P., Herzberger, P., Skerka, C., Kirschfink, M., Simon, M. M., Zipfel, P. F., Wallich, R. (2007). Dual Binding Specificity of a Borrelia hermsii-Associated Complement Regulator-Acquiring Surface Protein for Factor H and Plasminogen Discloses a Putative Virulence Factor of Relapsing Fever Spirochetes. J. Immunol. 178: 7292-7301 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McDowell, J. V., Frederick, J., Stamm, L., Marconi, R. T. (2007). Identification of the Gene Encoding the FhbB Protein of Treponema denticola, a Highly Unique Factor H-Like Protein 1 Binding Protein. Infect. Immun. 75: 1050-1054 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bolz, D. D., Sundsbak, R. S., Ma, Y., Akira, S., Weis, J. H., Schwan, T. G., Weis, J. J. (2006). Dual Role of MyD88 in Rapid Clearance of Relapsing Fever Borrelia spp.. Infect. Immun. 74: 6750-6760 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hovis, K. M., Schriefer, M. E., Bahlani, S., Marconi, R. T. (2006). Immunological and Molecular Analyses of the Borrelia hermsii Factor H and Factor H-Like Protein 1 Binding Protein, FhbA: Demonstration of Its Utility as a Diagnostic Marker and Epidemiological Tool for Tick-Borne Relapsing Fever.. Infect. Immun. 74: 4519-4529 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Meri, T., Cutler, S. J., Blom, A. M., Meri, S., Jokiranta, T. S. (2006). Relapsing Fever Spirochetes Borrelia recurrentis and B. duttonii Acquire Complement Regulators C4b-Binding Protein and Factor H. Infect. Immun. 74: 4157-4163 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Verma, A., Hellwage, J., Artiushin, S., Zipfel, P. F., Kraiczy, P., Timoney, J. F., Stevenson, B. (2006). LfhA, a Novel Factor H-Binding Protein of Leptospira interrogans.. Infect. Immun. 74: 2659-2666 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hovis, K. M., Jones, J. P., Sadlon, T., Raval, G., Gordon, D. L., Marconi, R. T. (2006). Molecular Analyses of the Interaction of Borrelia hermsii FhbA with the Complement Regulatory Proteins Factor H and Factor H-Like Protein 1. Infect. Immun. 74: 2007-2014 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Earnhart, C. G., Buckles, E. L., Dumler, J. S., Marconi, R. T. (2005). Demonstration of OspC Type Diversity in Invasive Human Lyme Disease Isolates and Identification of Previously Uncharacterized Epitopes That Define the Specificity of the OspC Murine Antibody Response. Infect. Immun. 73: 7869-7877 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Zhang, H., Marconi, R. T. (2005). Demonstration of Cotranscription and 1-Methyl-3-Nitroso-Nitroguanidine Induction of a 30-Gene Operon of Borrelia burgdorferi: Evidence that the 32-Kilobase Circular Plasmids Are Prophages. J. Bacteriol. 187: 7985-7995 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McDowell, J. V., Lankford, J., Stamm, L., Sadlon, T., Gordon, D. L., Marconi, R. T. (2005). Demonstration of Factor H-Like Protein 1 Binding to Treponema denticola, a Pathogen Associated with Periodontal Disease in Humans. Infect. Immun. 73: 7126-7132 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • von Lackum, K., Miller, J. C., Bykowski, T., Riley, S. P., Woodman, M. E., Brade, V., Kraiczy, P., Stevenson, B., Wallich, R. (2005). Borrelia burgdorferi Regulates Expression of Complement Regulator-Acquiring Surface Protein 1 during the Mammal-Tick Infection Cycle. Infect. Immun. 73: 7398-7405 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McDowell, J. V., Harlin, M. E., Rogers, E. A., Marconi, R. T. (2005). Putative Coiled-Coil Structural Elements of the BBA68 Protein of Lyme Disease Spirochetes Are Required for Formation of Its Factor H Binding Site. J. Bacteriol. 187: 1317-1323 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Zhang, H., Raji, A., Theisen, M., Hansen, P. R., Marconi, R. T. (2005). bdrF2 of Lyme Disease Spirochetes Is Coexpressed with a Series of Cytoplasmic Proteins and Is Produced Specifically during Early Infection. J. Bacteriol. 187: 175-184 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McDowell, J. V., Wolfgang, J., Senty, L., Sundy, C. M., Noto, M. J., Marconi, R. T. (2004). Demonstration of the Involvement of Outer Surface Protein E Coiled Coil Structural Domains and Higher Order Structural Elements in the Binding of Infection-Induced Antibody and the Complement-Regulatory Protein, Factor H. J. Immunol. 173: 7471-7480 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»