Applications
Lyme disease is a tick-borne infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi that can result in damages to joints, cardiovascular and nervous systems. Outsurface protein A (OspA) is a major surface antigen of Borrelia burgdorferi. Anti- OspA mAb has been shown to protect severe combined immunodeficiency mice from clinical symptoms of Lyme disease, suggesting that the Anti- OspA mAb blocks spirochete transmission by binding to OspA. The invention develops site-directed mutations of OspA whose fold conformation is stable.
Advantages
The invention develops a stabilized small segment of OspA as a vaccine for Lyme disease. The invention reduces potential side effects of a full length OspA.