Open AccessElimination of channel‐forming activity by insertional inactivation of the p66 gene in Borrelia burgdorferi
Author(s) -
Pinne Marija,
Thein Marcus,
Denker Katrin,
Benz Roland,
Coburn Jenifer,
Bergström Sven
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2006.00529.x
Subject(s) - borrelia burgdorferi , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , biology , chemistry , genetics , antibody
P66 is a chromosomally encoded 66‐kDa integral outer membrane protein of the Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi exhibiting channel‐forming activity. Herein, we inactivated and subsequently complemented the p66 gene in the B31‐A (WT) strain. The P66 protein was also inactivated in two other channel‐forming protein mutant strains, P13‐18 (Δ p13 ) and Δ bba01 , and then compared with the channel‐forming activities of wild‐type and various p66 mutant strains. We further investigated the ion‐selectivity of native, purified P66. In conclusion, we show that the porin activity of P66 is eliminated by insertional inactivation and that this activity can be rescued by gene complementation.