Borrelia VisE1
Greater than 95.0% as determined by SDS-PAGE.
Description
Recombinant Borrelia VisE1 (variable major protein like sequence E1) produced in E.coli is a non-glycosylated, polypeptide chain having a calculated molecular mass of 43kDa.
Borrelia VisE1 is expressed with a -10x His tag at N-terminus and purified by proprietary chromatographic techniques.
Product Specs
Borrelia, a bacterial genus belonging to the spirochete phylum, is responsible for borreliosis. This tick-borne and, in some cases, louse-borne zoonotic disease affects various animals and humans. Among the 36 known Borrelia species, 12 are associated with Lyme disease (a type of borreliosis) and are primarily transmitted through tick bites. The most common species causing Lyme disease include Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia afzelii, and Borrelia garinii. VlsE1, short for Variable major protein-like sequence E1, is a surface protein found in Borrelia. It exhibits high sensitivity for detecting IgG antibodies in all stages of Lyme disease.
Recombinant Borrelia VisE1, a non-glycosylated polypeptide chain with a predicted molecular weight of 43kDa, is generated by expressing the variable major protein-like sequence E1 in E.coli. This recombinant protein is further modified by the addition of a 10x His tag at the N-terminus and purified using specialized chromatographic techniques.
Borrelia VisE1 is supplied in a solution containing 20mM HEPES buffer at pH 8.0, 200mM NaCl, and 20% glycerol.
The purity of the product is determined to be greater than 95% based on SDS-PAGE analysis.
This product is suitable for use in Western blotting techniques with patient samples.
1. Possesses the ability to bind to both IgG and IgM human antibodies.
2. Effective for use in Immunodot assays for differentiating between positive and negative Lyme disease samples.
Product Science Overview
VlsE is a surface-exposed lipoprotein that is highly immunogenic. It is encoded by the vlsE gene, which is part of a larger vls locus containing multiple silent cassettes. During infection, gene conversion events occur between these silent cassettes and the vlsE expression site, leading to the production of different VlsE variants. This process of antigenic variation allows Borrelia burgdorferi to continuously change its surface antigens, thereby avoiding detection and clearance by the host immune system .
Recombinant VlsE1 refers to a laboratory-produced version of the VlsE protein. This recombinant protein is often used in diagnostic assays for Lyme disease. One such assay is the ZEUS Borrelia VlsE1/pepC10 assay, which combines the recombinant VlsE1 protein with a synthetic peptide derived from the outer surface protein C (OspC) of Borrelia burgdorferi . This assay has shown comparable diagnostic parameters to the widely used C6-ELISA, with potentially improved specificity in cross-reactive sera .
The recombinant VlsE1 protein is utilized in various serological tests to detect antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in patients suspected of having Lyme disease. These tests are crucial for the accurate diagnosis and timely treatment of the disease. The VlsE1-based assays have demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity, making them valuable tools in the clinical setting .
Research on VlsE and its recombinant forms continues to advance our understanding of Lyme disease and improve diagnostic methods. Studies have shown that the antigenic variation of VlsE is a key factor in the bacterium’s ability to cause long-term infection . By analyzing the sequence changes in VlsE during infection, researchers can gain insights into the mechanisms of immune evasion and develop more effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies .
