Identification of Tp0751 (Pallilysin) as a Treponema pallidum Vascular Adhesin by Heterologous Expression in the Lyme disease Spirochete.

Author:

Kao, WA, Pětrošová, H, Ebady, R, Lithgow, KV, Rojas, P, Zhang, Y, Kim, YE, Kim, YR, Odisho, T, Gupta, N, Moter, A, Cameron, CE, and Moriarty, TJ

Publication type:

Journal Article

Publication date:

2017-05

Journal/Series title:

Sci Rep

Volume:

URL:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5431505/

Abstract:

Under fluid shear stress representative of conditions in postcapillary venules, Tp0751 restored bacterial-vascular interactions to levels similar to those observed for infectious B. burgdorferi and a gain-of-function strain expressing B. burgdorferi vascular adhesin BBK32. The strength and stability of Tp0751- and BBK32-dependent endothelial interactions under physiological shear stress were similar, although the mechanisms stabilizing these interactions were distinct. Tp0751 expression also permitted bacteria to interact with postcapillary venules in live mice as effectively as BBK32-expressing strains. These results demonstrate that Tp0751 can function as a vascular adhesin.