TABLE 1.
Selected prominent differences in the functional systems of the two spirochetesa
| B. burgdorferi | T. pallidum |
|---|---|
| Conserved systems: replication, RNA processing, and translation | |
| BB0035, BB0036; topoisomerase IV | — |
| BB0826; topo I, related to actinomycetes and cyanobacteria | TP0394; no specific affinities of Topo I to any other bacterial lineage |
| — | TP0643; DnaQ (ɛ subunit of DNA polymerase) |
| BB0552; DNA ligase with one BRCT domain | TP0634; DNA ligase with three BRCT domains |
| BB0114; one copy of single-strand binding protein | TP0062, TP0310; two copies of single-strand binding protein |
| BB0402; eukaryote-type prolyl-tRNA synthetase | TP0160; bacterial-type prolyl-tRNA synthetase |
| — | TP0559; ThiI tRNA-thiouridine biosynthesis enzyme |
| — | TP0924; Tex/SPT6 family RNA processing protein |
| Moderately conserved systems: DNA repair and transcription | |
| BB0633, BB0634, BB0632; RecB, RecC, and RecD; components of the helicase-nuclease complex involved in recombinational repair | — |
| — | TP0003, TP0442, TP0103, TP1004; RecF, RecN, RecQ, and RecR components of DNA recombination and repair |
| BB0023, BB0022; RuvA and RuvB subunits of the Holiday junction resolvase; no nuclease RuvC | TP0543, TP0162, TP0517; RuvA, RuvB, and RuvC present |
| — | TP0380; ERCC3-like DNA repair helicase |
| BB0626; small primase-like TOPRIM domain protein | — |
| BB0098, BB0797; two versions of MutS mismatch repair ATPase | TP0328; single version of MutS |
| BB0771; unique sigma factors RpoS | TP0092, TP0709, TP1012; Unique sigma factors RpoE (ς24), SigA (ς28, ς43) |
| — | TP0220, TP0233, TP0540; anti-sigma factors (RsbV) |
| — | TP0218, TP0219, TP0854; PP2C phosphatases involved in anti-sigma factor regulation |
| BBD22; MetJ/Arc family transcription regulator | — |
| BB0647; iron-related transcriptional regulation; Fur | TP0167; iron-related transcriptional regulation; TroR |
| BB0693, BB0831; XylR-type HTH + sugar kinase transcription regulators | — |
| Poorly conserved systems: metabolism, nutrient uptake, and protein modification | |
| BB0445; γ-proteobacterial-type class II aldolase | TP0662; class II aldolase shows no specific affinities to any bacterial lineage |
| BB0057; bacterial-type glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase | TP0844; glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase specifically related to orthologs from kinetoplastid flagellates |
| BB0015; uridine kinase; standard bacterial version | TP0667; uridine kinase with two N-terminal (probable RNA-binding) domains shared with threonyl-tRNA synthetases |
| BB0243; eukaryote-type FAD-dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase | — |
| BB0683, BB0684, BB0685, BB0686, BB0687, BB0688; eukaryote-type isopentenyl pyrophosphate biosynthesis operon | — |
| BB0241; glycerol kinase | — |
| — | TP0754, TP0269, TP0121, TP0068; two biotin synthase family 3 cysteine cluster enzymes |
| — | TP0053, TP1008; ribonucleotide reductase α/β subunits |
| BB0144; glycine-betaine transport system, possibly involved in osmoregulation | TP0350, TP0351, TP0797; intact proline biosynthesis operon, perhaps involved in osmoregulation |
| BB0216, BB0215, BB0042; typical bacterial phosphate transport operon including regulator PhoU | — |
| — | TP0163, TP0165, TP0166; Tro iron transport operon |
| BB0610; one FKBP-type peptidyl prolyl isomerase (Trigger factor ortholog) | TP0506, TP0349, TP0862; three distinct FKBP-like peptidyl prolyl isomerases (including the Trigger factor ortholog) |
| BB0655, BB0602, BB0517; three J-domain proteins including DnaJ ortholog | TP0098, TP0563; No DnaJ ortholog but two distinct J-domain proteins without Borrelia orthologs |
| — | TP0947; cyclophilin-like peptidyl prolyl isomerase |
| BB0296, BB0295, BB0834, BB0757, BB0612; both HlsU/HlsV and ClpP (two copies)/ClpX ATPase protease pairs present | TP0071, TP1041, TP0508, TP0507; only ClpP (two copies)/ClpX present; additionally, a SohB-like protease distantly related to ClpP present |
| — | TP0100, TP0101; thiol:disulfide interchange operon (DsbD, DsbE) |
| BB0253, BB0613; two distinct, typical ATP-dependent Lon proteases | TP0524, TP0016; typical bacterial Lon protease ortholog and archaeal-type Lon family protease-ATPase |
| — | TP0835, TP0502; two ankyrin repeat proteins (possible horizontal transfer from eukaryotes) |
| BB0030, BB0031, BB0263; three distinct signal peptidases | TP0926, TP0185; two distinct signal peptidases with only one orthologous pair |
a
—, absence in a given organism. Gene identification number (BB or TP) is shown in the order of the proteins described for each category.