How Does Lyme Spirochete Control OspC?

Journal of Bacteriology (Castro-Padovani, T., et al.) 3.15.23 OspCpublished “Gac Is a Transcriptional Repressor of the Lyme Disease Spirochete’s OspC Virulence-Associated Surface Protein.” The study investigated the processes by which the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, controls production of OspC.

According to the article, OspC outer-surface lipoprotein is necessary for the spirochete’s preliminary stage of vertebrate infection. Bacteria located in the midguts of unfed ticks do not express OspC, however once ticks begin to ingest blood, high levels are produced. Within one to two weeks of vertebrate infection, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes stop producing OspC. Host antibodies clear bacteria that do not downregulate OspC. Therefore, close regulation of OspC levels is crucial to the survival of Lyme borreliae, making this mechanism an appealing target for the development of novel treatment strategies.

The study’s findings contribute significant advances to the understanding of how the Lyme disease spirochete controls production of OspC.


For more information:

Read the study in Journal of Bacteriology.

Read more about GAC.