Nanomechanical mechanisms of Lyme disease spirochete motility enhancement in extracellular matrix

Abstract

Martin Strnad, Yoo Jin Oh, and colleagues use single-molecule force spectroscopy and an extracellular matrix (ECM) analog that mimics natural tick feeding to show that the surface proteins DbpA/B can enhance spirochete motility in the ECM of the host. These results show that spirochetes can tune their transient molecular binding to ECM components to enhance spirochetal dissemination through the host.