NYMC Faculty Publications

Journal Title

FEMS Microbiology Letters

First Page

172

Last Page

180

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2011

Department

Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Abstract

Bacterial pathogens face constant challenges from DNA-damaging agents generated by host phagocytes. Although Borrelia burgdorferi appears to have much fewer DNA repair enzymes than pathogens with larger genomes, it does contain homologues of uvrA and uvrB (subunits A and B of excinuclease ABC). As a first step to exploring the physiologic function of uvrA(Bbu) and its possible role in survival in the host in the face of DNA-damaging agents, a partially deleted uvrA mutant was isolated by targeted inactivation. While growth of this mutant was markedly inhibited by UV irradiation, mitomycin C (MMC) and hydrogen peroxide at doses that lacked effect on wild-type B. burgdorferi, its response to pH 6.0-6.8 and reactive nitrogen intermediates was similar to that of the wild-type parental strain. The sensitivity of the inactivation mutant to UV irradiation, MMC and peroxide was complemented by an extrachromosomal copy of uvrA(Bbu). We conclude that uvrA(Bbu) is functional in B. burgdorferi.

Publisher's Statement

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in FEMS Microbiology Letters following peer review. The version of record Sambir, M., Ivanova, L., Bryksin, A., Godfrey, H., & Cabello, F. (2011). Functional Analysis of Borrelia Burgdorferi uvrA in DNA Damage Protection. FEMS Microbiology Letters, 317 (2), 172-180 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.2011.02226.x

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