Replication of the Borrelia burgdorferi Genome
Kerri Kobryn
from: Lyme Disease and Relapsing Fever Spirochetes: Genomics, Molecular Biology, Host Interactions and Disease Pathogenesis (Edited by: Justin D. Radolf and D. Scott Samuels). Caister Academic Press, U.K. (2021) Pages: 73-86.
Abstract
Borrelia species possess unusual genomes that harbor multiple circular and linear replicons. The termini of the linear replicons are covalently closed DNA hairpins, structures referred to as hairpin (hp) telomeres. Hairpin telomeres are formed from replicated intermediates by a specialized DNA cleavage and rejoining reaction called telomere resolution. Current knowledge of the mechanisms of the DNA replication, hairpin telomere metabolism and replicon maintenance of these unusual, segmented genomes will be reviewed. We will also discuss proposals on how hairpin telomere metabolism may contribute to rearrangements within the linear component of the genome read more ...
