Selective Binding of <i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i> OspE Paralogs to Factor H and Serum Proteins from Diverse Animals: Possible Expansion of the Role of OspE in Lyme Disease Pathogenesis

Abstract

The binding of Borrelia burgdorferi OspE, OspF, and family 163 (Elp) proteins to factor H/factor H-like protein 1 (FHL-1) and other serum proteins from different animals was assessed. OspE paralogs bound factor H and unidentified serum proteins from a subset of animals, while OspF and Elp proteins did not. These data advance our understanding of factor H binding, the host range of the Lyme spirochetes, and the expanding role of OspE in pathogenesis.