Article

Loss of plasmids of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato during prolonged in vitro cultivation.

Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Zaloška Cesta 4, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Plasmid (impact factor: 1.52). 03/2011; 66(1):1-6. DOI:10.1016/j.plasmid.2011.02.006 pp.1-6
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT In the present study we analyzed stability of plasmid content in 34 Borrelia strains of three different species (13 Borrelia afzelii, 10 Borrelia garinii and 11 Borrelia burgodorferi sensu stricto) using pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). During long-term in vitro cultivation consisting of 50 passages, plasmid loss was established in 46% of B. afzelii, 40% of B. garinii and 36% of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strains. Loss of plasmids occurred as early as between the 5th and 10th passage, affected only plasmids in the range 9-41 kb but not plasmids in the range 50-68 kb and manifested with the loss of one to up to three plasmids.

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Keywords

10 Borrelia garinii
 
11 Borrelia burgodorferi sensu stricto
 
13 Borrelia afzelii
 
34 Borrelia strains
 
50 passages
 
B. afzelii
 
B. burgdorferi sensu stricto strains
 
B. garinii
 
long-term
 
plasmid content
 
plasmid loss
 
plasmids
 
pulse field gel electrophoresis