VARIATIONS IN THE OSPB GENE OF BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI RESULT IN DIFFERENCES IN MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY REACTIVITY AND IN PRODUCTION OF ESCAPE VARIANTS

An escape variant of Borrelia burgdorferi, selected with a monoclonal antibody to OspB, expressed a truncated form of OspB, the result of point mutations in the ospB gene leading to a premature termination codon. A single amino acid position in the C terminus of OspB was critical for monoclonal antibody recognition. The variations in the ospB gene suggest a mechanism for the evasion of the immune response by these organisms and may also have implications for current diagnostic and vaccine efforts.