This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. We are focused on understanding regulation of gene expression in the Lyme disease spirochetes at the onset of vertebrate infection. The alternative Sigma factor, RpoS, plays a significant part during these events by regulating the expression of multiple genes including ospA and ospCthat have been shown to play important roles within the tick vector and during spirochetal transmission into the vertebrate host. The regulation of rpoS itself has been shown to be complex in other organisms and among other factors, involves the enzyme RelA and SpoT that synthesize and degrade the stringent factor, ppGpp. B. burgdorferi carries a single relA/spoT gene encoded in the chromosome. In an attempt to understand the role of this enzyme in the regulation of rpoS, and consequently other genes, we have knocked out this gene in the type strain B31. Currently, we are attempting to complement the knock out following which we will begin analyzing the role of relA/spoT in B. burgdorferi.
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