Further Characterization ofaPotent Immunogen andthe Chromosomal GeneEncoding ItintheLyme Disease Agent, Borrelia burgdorferi

Further characterization ofapreviously reported 83-kDaantigen ofBorrelia burgdorferi andthegene encoding itisreported. TheDNA sequence ofthegeneandtheaminoacidsequence oftheprotein were determined. Onthebasis oftheaminoacidcontent, theactual size oftheantigen wasdetermined tobe79.8 kDa,rather than83kDaaspreviously reported. Theexpression oftheantigen inseveral representative North American andEuropean B.burgdorferi isolates wasdemonstrated. Theconservation ofthegenewithin the species wasdemonstrated byDNA hybridization ofalabeled geneprobe toseveral NorthAmerican and European B.burgdorferi isolates. Ofother Borrelia spp.assayed (B.hermsii, B.coriaceae, B.duttonii, andB. anserina), onlyB.anserina, apoultry pathogen, hybridized tothegeneprobe andexpressed the79.8-kDa antigen.