Presence of common antigenic epitope in outer surface protein (Osp) A and OspB of Japanese isolates identified as Borrelia garinii

Abstract

Japanese Borrelia strains FujiP2, AP83, NT24, NT29 and HT2 which had a 31- kilodalton protein non-reactive with monoclonal antibody (MAb) H5332 to outer surface protein A (OspA) were identified as B. garinii by the DNA hybridization method. MAb P3134 raised to strain NT24 reacted with OspA and the OspB-ranging protein of these isolates and cross-reacted with the OspB- ranging protein of some other isolates. Since the reactive protein was extracted by the Triton X-114 phase partitioning method, the MAb recognized the common epitope present in OspA and OspB. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an MAb reactive to both OspA and OspB.