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Abstract
We have identified and characterized an elaborate genetic system in the Lyme disease
spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi that promotes extensive antigenic variation of a surface-exposed
lipoprotein, VlsE. A 28 kb linear plasmid of B. burgdorferi B31 (lp28-1) was found
to contain a vmp-like sequence (vls) locus that closely resembles the variable major
protein (vmp) system for antigenic variation of relapsing fever organisms. Portions
of several of the 15 nonexpressed (silent) vls cassette sequences located upstream
of vlsE recombined into the central vlsE cassette region during infection of C3H/HeN
mice, resulting in antigenic variation of the expressed lipoprotein. This combinatorial
variation could potentially produce millions of antigenic variants in the mammalian
host.