FIG. 1.

Schematic of the ospE-like erp genes of B. burgdorferi strain B31-MI (3) and those reported for reisolate clone 53 (32). The B31-MI erpA and erpN genes are identical, while the sequence of erpP is somewhat different. The reported clone 53 genes ospE₅₃-1 and ospE₅₃-2 are identical to erpA and erpN with the exception of four and three single-nucleotide substitutions, respectively (indicated by vertical lines). The reported clone 53 gene ospE₅₃-3 is a chimera of either erpA or erpN with erpP. The clone 53 gene ospE₅₃-4 is identical to the B31-MI erpP gene.