Caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, Lyme disease is the fastest growing and most common tick-borne illness in the United States. Vital to the survival of B. burgdorferi in ticks and vertebrates, Borrelia oxidative stress regulator, BosR, is a regulatory transcription factor that functions to activate and repress nearly 80 genes, including genes for DNA protection from damage during starvation or oxidative stress and control over the expression of outer membrane proteins. To-date, little has been discovered about the important role and types of metal ions that are thought to function in the regulatory pathway of BosR. In this work, focus is placed on the preparation, purification and characterization of the protein, as well as initial analysis of BosR by metal binding titrations with UV-Visible spectroscopy. Electromobility shift assays and fluorescence anisotropy assays are also analyzed to investigate DNA binding properties and possible classification of a Bos box.

What makes Lyme disease tick? Characterization of an essential global regulator in Borrelia burgdorferi

245th National Meeting (2013)

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