FIG. 4.
Serological responses of mice inoculated with wild-type and GuaAB-deficient B. burgdorferi: immunoblot analysis of sera collected 6 weeks postinoculation from either C3H/HeN mice needle inoculated with 5 × 103 or 1 × 107 spirochetes or RML mice on which infected ticks fed. The protein lysates tested for seroreactivity included a lysate of E. coli carrying a cloning vector (Ec), a lysate of E. coli carrying a cloning vector expressing the B. burgdorferi P39 protein (45) (also known as BmpA [43]) (P39), and a lysate of infectious B. burgdorferi strain B31 (Bb). Representative results for the serum of one mouse infected with B. burgdorferi clone A3-M9 (wt), A3-M9 guaA::flgBp-kan/pBSV2G (GuaAB−), or A3-M9 guaA::flgBp-kan/pBSV2G guaAB (GuaAB+) are shown. Neither the inoculum nor the route of infection had an effect on the serological responses of the mice to the different B. burgdorferi clones. Molecular masses (in kilodaltons) are indicated on the left. Comparable serum dilutions and exposure times were used for all immunoblots.