Title:Outer Surface Proteins of Borrelia: Peerless Immune Evasion Tools
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Author(s): Lucia Pulzova and Mangesh Bhide
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Borrelia, immune evasion, lyme disease, protein, protein interactions, surface proteins, ticks.
Abstract: Lyme borreliosis (LB), caused by Borrelia burgdorferi (B.b.), is the most frequently diagnosed tick-borne
zoonosis in temperate zones of the Northern hemisphere. Borrelia is unique among bacteria in its ability to express a
wide variety of lipoproteins on its surface, which play an essential role in pathogenesis. Surface proteins of spirochetes
are important virulence determinants, immune evasion molecules and adaptation factors in the transmission and interaction
with host tissues. Vast diversity in the expressed surface proteome of Borrelia in different niches and multifunctionality
of proteins are the major strategies of Borrelia to avoid the destructive effect of immune system. In this
review we provide deep insight into the protein:protein interactions that take place between different stages of life of
Borrelia. Precise knowledge of surface proteins may help in improvement of the vaccines as well as for therapeutic
agents against borreliosis.
