Dubytska, L. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2019

Borrelia burgdorferi 297 bmpA encode the mRNA that contains ORF for a leader peptide that regulates bmpA gene expression.

The Bmp proteins are highly conserved proteins with no well established functions in B. burgdorferi sensu lato and are immunogenic. It was reported that four genes from this cluster bmpD-bmpC-bmpA-bmpB are expressed in vitro as monocistronic and polycistronic messages. Evidence is presented in this report that bmpA mRNA contains two ribosome binding sites (SD) separated by 90 bases pairs. The SD1 precedes a small 32 amino acid ORF - leader peptide (BmpAL). The SD2 is the RBS for 342 amino acids BmpA. The bmpAL and bmpA ORFs in B.burgdorferi 297 overlap by eight base pairs suggesting that two proteins can be co-regulated. First five codons in the leader peptide and -GGG- in SD2 are rarely used in Borrelia, suggesting that they can regulate BmpAL and BmpA expression. Deletion of SD1 in the leader sequence, or introducing a stop codon immediately before SD2 leads to increased BmpA::GFP expression in B.burgdorferi 297 that contains bmpA::gfp translational fusion on the plasmid. In B. garinii G25 and B. afzelii IP3 the leader sequence is in frame with bmpA, and a result, in B. afzelii IP3 BmpA are expressed as the higher molecular weight protein compared to BmpA of B. burgdorferi 297 and B. afzelii DK7.

molecular biology↗

bioRxiv2017

Data Analyses and new Findings Indicate a Primordial Neurotropic Pathogen Evolved into Infectious Causes of Several CNS Neurodegenerative Diseases

The extraordinary genetic flexibility of microorganisms enables their evolution into diverse forms expressing unanticipated structures and functions. Typically, they evolve in response to selective pressures of challenging niches, enabling their evolution and survival in extreme environments wherein life forms were not thought to exist. Approaching the problem of persistent neurodegenerative CNS infections as a challenging niche for pathogen evolution led to uncovering microorganisms which expand concepts of microbial diversity. These organisms are proposed as hybrid pathogens. They express two separate sets of structures and functions: viruslike properties when intracellular, and yet also reproduce as unique prokaryotes when outside the host. Their recovery opens new opportunities to comprehend the remarkable diversity of pathogens and elucidate etiologies of unresolved CNS neurodegenerative infections. Cells infected with these agents produce virus-like particles, inclusions and cytopathic effects consistent with biopsy studies of multiple sclerosis (MS), the -synucleinopathies, and the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) or prion diseases. The principle agents described were recovered from sheep with scrapie and are available via the Biodefense and Emerging Infections Research Resources Repository. Comparative studies with SMCA, a tick isolate inducing neurodegeneration in lab animal models, are included as supportive evidence.

microbiology↗