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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia

Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia

Published on: November 25, 2022

Does RecA have a role in Borrelia recurrentis?

S J Cutler¹, I J Rinky, E M Bonilla

¹School of Health & Bioscience, University of East London, London, UK. s.cutler@uel.ac.uk

Clinical Microbiology and Infection : the Official Publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

|May 12, 2010

Summary

Genomic sequencing revealed a truncated recA gene in Borrelia recurrentis, the cause of louse-borne relapsing fever, but not in Borrelia duttonii. This finding distinguishes these related spirochaetes.

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Detecting the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, in Ticks Using Nested PCR

Detecting the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia Burgdorferi, in Ticks Using Nested PCR

Published on: February 4, 2018

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Genomics
Bacteriology

Background:

RecA protein is crucial for bacterial DNA repair and recombination.
Genomic analysis of relapsing fever spirochaetes, Borrelia recurrentis and Borrelia duttonii, revealed differences in the recA gene.
Investigating recA gene variations is important for understanding bacterial pathogenesis and evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the significance of recA gene truncation in Borrelia recurrentis compared to Borrelia duttonii.
To determine if the observed recA truncation in B. recurrentis is a genuine characteristic or an artifact of in vitro cultivation.
To identify genetic markers for differentiating between B. recurrentis and B. duttonii.

Main Methods:

Direct sequencing of the recA gene from clinical samples of patients with relapsing fever.
Comparative genomic analysis of Borrelia species.
Identification of specific polymorphisms within the recA gene.

Main Results:

Confirmed a premature stop codon (truncation) in the recA gene of Borrelia recurrentis from seven louse-borne relapsing fever patient samples.
Absence of recA truncation was confirmed in three tick-borne relapsing fever (Borrelia duttonii) patient samples.
Identified unique signature polymorphisms enabling differentiation between B. recurrentis and B. duttonii.

Conclusions:

The truncation of the recA gene is a characteristic feature of Borrelia recurrentis, not an in vitro artifact.
RecA gene variation plays a role in distinguishing between these closely related Borrelia species.
The identified polymorphisms offer a reliable method for differentiating louse-borne and tick-borne relapsing fever spirochaetes.