Spirochetes lacking <i>bbk46</i> retain seroreactivity in mice.

<p>Immunoblot analysis of sera collected three weeks post inoculation from groups of five C3H/HeN mice inoculated with clone A3-68ΔBBE02 (WT), <i>bbk46</i>::<i>flaB</i>_p-<i>aadA</i>/pBSV2G (Δ<i>bbk46</i>/vector) and <i>bbk46</i>::<i>flaB</i>_p-<i>aadA</i>/pBSV2G-<i>bbk46</i> (Δ<i>bbk46</i>/<i>bbk46⁺</i>) at a dose of 1×10⁴ spirochetes per mouse. (A) Total protein lysate from <i>B. burgdorferi</i> clone B31 A3 was probed with the serum from each individual mouse (1–5). (B) Purified recombinant GST-OspC protein was probed with pooled sera from the five mice in each infection group or αOspC polyclonal antibodies. The positions of markers to the left of the panel depict protein standard molecular masses in kilodaltons.