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Comparative structural analysis of Borreliella spp. virulent factors focusing on their surface topology conservation
Zdrha, Alois ; Drbal, Karel (advisor) ; Nunvář, Jaroslav (referee)
Gram-negative bacteria of genus Borreliella cause the nowadays spreading illness Lyme borreliosis. However, their classification as gram-negative bacteria is rather mislea- ding because they differ in their complex genome, pathogenic adaptation to their hosts and composition of their outer membrane. One species of borreliella can harbour up to 23 variable plasmids and one conserved chromosome and they still lack many crucial proteins needed for synthesis of key compounds. Hence, they have to obtain these compounds from the host. However, in order for borreliella to utilise the metabolic processes of the host, it has to first survive its immune response. Therefore borreliella contains many virulent factors including highly variable surface lipoproteins. The variability is a major obstacle to overcome when using their surface epitopes for detection and vaccine development because most of the dominant antigenic epitopes of borreliella are usually parts of the most variable regions of the lipoproteins. Nowadays, we can use many different algorithms which determine evolutionary conserved epitopes based on analysis of sequences of given lipoprotein, in order to find suitable targets for antibodies. In general, conserved epitopes are more suitable for vaccines, whereas more variable epitopes are better...
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