Development of a system for expressing heterologous genes in the oral spirochete Treponema denticola and its use in expression of the Treponema pallidum flaA gene

Abstract

The present communication describes the construction of a new Escherichia coli-Treponema denticola shuttle vector based on the naturally occurring spirochete plasmid pTS1 and the expression of the heterologous T. pallidum flaA gene from the plasmid in T. denticola. This new shuttle vector system should prove useful in characterizing virulence factors from unculturable pathogenic spirochetes.