Unveiling the Influence of Host Adaptation: Genetic Diversity in Lyme Disease Bacteria
A research study delves into the underlying mechanisms of genetic diversity within the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease. Lyme disease stands as the most prevalent vector-transmitted illness in the United States, with approximately 476,000 human cases recorded each year. The primary culprit behind Lyme disease is the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), transmitted through ticks and capable of infecting a broad spectrum of mammals and avian species. Led by Matthew Combs and his team, the study specifically investigates the genetic variation of Bb, focusing on the outer surface protein C (ospC) gene—a well-recognized virulence factor crucial for the pathogen's survival within ticks and during the initial stages of vertebrate infection. The findings are detailed in the PNAS Nexus journal. Employing an extensive long-read high-throughput sequencing technique, the researchers examined a highly polymorphic locus in samples extracted from 553 white-footed mice, 92 passerine birds sp...