NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE OF THE OSPAB OPERON OF A BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI STRAIN EXPRESSING OSPA BUT NOT OSPB

The nucleotide sequence of a 1.6-kb clone containing the gene for outer surface protein A (OspA) of a German strain (GO2) of Borrelia burgdorferi was determined. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a homology of 82% to the OspA molecules from three other B. burgdorferi strains. The best-conserved region was recognized at the 36 amino-terminal amino acids of OspA. OspB could not be identified in the strain investigated, probably because the nucleotide sequence of the ospAB operon prevented expression of the OspB gene.