Fig. 2.

CB2 causes the formation of openings of 2.8–4.4 nm in the B. burgdorferi OM. (A and B) Exposure to CB2 alone completely kills B. burgdorferi. (C) CB2 binds B. burgdorferi despite the presence of dextran T500 (100×). (D–L) The OM of B. burgdorferi is not ruptured when exposed to CB2 with dextran T500 (D–F), dextran 81500 MW (G–I), or dextran 6000 MW (J–L), due to osmotic protection. (P–R) The exposure of periplasmic flagella (arrows) in those spirochetes exposed to CB2 with inulin (M–O) or raffinose (P–R) indicates a ruptured OM. This suggests that CB2 induces the formation of openings in the OM of 2.8–4.4 nm leading to osmotic lysis. (Scale bars: 500 nm.)