Bgp, a Secreted Glycosaminoglycan-Binding Protein of Borrelia burgdorferi Strain N40, Displays Nucleosidase Activity and Is Not Essential for Infection of Immunodeficient Mice

Abstract
Bgp, one of the surface-localized glycosaminoglycan-binding proteins of the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi , exhibited nucleosidase activity. Infection of SCID mice with B. burgdorferi strain N40 mutants harboring a targeted insertion in bgp and apparently retaining all endogenous plasmids revealed that Bgp is not essential for colonization of immunocompromised mice.