FIG. 3.

B. burgdorferi binding to fibronectin is inhibited by soluble recombinant RevA (rRevA) and by antibodies specific for RevA. Glass microscope slides were coated by overnight incubation with 10 μg/ml human plasma fibronectin or control protein BSA in PBS. After being blocked, slides were covered with suspended B. burgdorferi strain B31 MI-16, ML23, or JS315 (BBK32 mutant), incubated, and washed extensively, and then bacteria were visualized by dark-field microscopy. Numbers of adherent bacteria observed at ×200 magnification in 10 fields per slide were counted. Data represent the means and standard errors of the results from three separate experiments.