Transcriptome mapping: discovering regulation in the Lyme pathogen

Authors

• WC Su
• R Colacot
• N Ahmed
• T Nguyen
• A Gandjbakhche

Abstract

All steps in gene expression – transcription, RNA processing, translation, and protein turnover – determine the ability of a cell to survive. Thus, they are highly regulated in all domains of life. While these regulatory mechanisms have been studied extensively in multiple model systems, such as Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, much less is known about these processes in other important organisms, such as bacterial pathogens. For example, the fundamental aspects of gene expression have not been studied extensively in the spirochete Borrelia (Borreliella) burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease – the foremost vector-borne illness in the United States. The bacterium exists in a complex enzootic cycle that requires acquisition and transmission of B. burgdorferi between Ixodes scapularis ticks and small vertebrates. The Adams lab studies the basic biology and molecular mechanisms of B. burgdorferi infectivity, to ultimately better diagnose and treat Lyme disease.

Scientific Focus Area: ACI/IRS

This page was last updated on Monday, September 25, 2023