[Neuroborreliosis or borrelia hysteria. This case becomes a nightmare!]

Source: Eggers, C. H. Phage-Mediated Genetic Manipulation of the Lyme Disease Spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. J. Vis. Exp. (2022)This video demonstrates the preparation of a genetically modified Borrelia burgdorferi culture engineered with dormant bacteriophage DNA carrying an antibiotic resistance gene. Following antibiotic selection and incubation, a chemical inducer triggers DNA damage, leading to excision, replication, and assembly of new virions containing the resistance gene. After a...

In vitro culture is a direct detection method for the presence of living bacteria. This protocol describes methods for the culture of diverse Borrelia spirochetes, including those of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex, relapsing fever Borrelia species, and Borrelia miyamotoi. These species are fastidious and slow growing but can be...

The ability of bacteriophage to move DNA between bacterial cells makes them effective tools for the genetic manipulation of their bacterial hosts. Presented here is a methodology for inducing, recovering, and using φBB-1, a bacteriophage of Borrelia burgdorferi, to transduce heterologous DNA between different strains of the Lyme disease...

In vitro transcription assays can decipher the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in Borreliella burgdorferi. This protocol describes the steps to purify B. burgdorferi RNA polymerase and perform in vitro transcription reactions. Experimental approaches using in vitro transcription assays require reliable purification and storage of active RNA polymerase.

Nested PCR is a sensitive, specific, and straightforward technique that can be applied to tick DNA extracts to probe for Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease. The initial PCR experiment uses gene-specific primers to generate long amplicons, which then become templates for a subsequent reaction using internal primers.

Nightmares and night terrors represent two distinct types of sleep disturbances that differ in timing, characteristics, and the sleeper's recall of the event. Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that usually awaken the sleeper from REM sleep, a stage of sleep where brain activity is high, and dreams are most frequent. Upon awakening, individuals often have detailed recollections of their nightmares, which can include themes of threats to survival, security, or self-esteem.
Nightmares...