See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270961409 The Phylum Spirochaetaceae Chapter · October 2014 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-38954-2_156 CITATIONS READS 10 777 4 authors, including: Ali Karami Meysam Sarshar Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Sapienza University of Rome 142 PUBLICATIONS 746 CITATIONS 36 PUBLICATIONS 405 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Reza Ranjbar BUMS 306 PUBLICATIONS 3,243 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Thesis title: "Study of Possibility of recycling from Waste Bread at Tehran Municipality(Case study: district 6) ". View project Dynamic modeling of bovine folliculogenesis signaling pathways View project All content following this page was uploaded by Meysam Sarshar on 29 April 2020. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Metadata of the chapter that will be visualized online Chapter Title Spirochaetaceae Phylum Copyright Year 2014 Copyright Holder Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg Corresponding Author Family Name Karami Particle Given Name Ali Suffix Division/Department Molecular Biology Research Center Organization/University Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Street Molasadra Postcode 1993 City Tehran Country Iran Phone 00982188039883 Fax 00982188039883 Email [email protected] Email [email protected] Author Family Name Sarshar Particle Given Name Meysam Suffix Division/Department Molecular Biology Research Center Organization/University Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Street Molasadra Postcode 1993 City Tehran Country Iran Email [email protected] Author Family Name Ranjbar Particle Given Name Reza Suffix Division/Department Molecular Biology Research Center Organization/University Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences Street Molasadra Postcode 1993 City Tehran Country Iran Phone +98-21-88039883 Fax +98-21-88039883 Email [email protected] Author Family Name Zanjani Particle Given Name Rahim Sorouri Suffix Division/Department Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Organization/University Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences City Tehran Country Iran Email [email protected] Abstract Spirochaetaceae is a family of spirochetes that cause syphilis, Lyme disease, epidemic and endemic relapsing fever, leptospirosis, swine dysentery, and periodontal disease. The spirochetes are presently classified as members of class Spirochaetes in the order Spirochaetales and are divided into three major phylogenetic groupings or families. The first family, Spirochaetaceae, contains species in the genera Borrelia, Brevinema, Cristispira, Spirochaeta, Spironema, and Treponema. The second family, Brachyspiraceae, contains the genus Brachyspira (Serpulina). The third family, Leptospiraceae, contains species of the genera Leptonema and Leptospira. One of the unique features of spirochetes is motility mediated by axial flagella with a rapid drifting rotation. The DNA of the Spirochaeta species contains guanine (G) + cytosine (C) ranging from 51 % to 65 mol %. The presence of several linear plasmids seems to cause the segmentation of Borrelia DNA into several linear pieces. This has led to the suggestion that the relatively small linear chromosome and the linear plasmids actually are minichromosomes. Various molecular and immunological detection methods have been developed for detection and identification of spirochetes. Comp. by: DMuthuKumar Stage: Revises1 Chapter No.: 156 Title Name: HbPK-Vol11 Date:11/1/14 Time:02:28:12 Page Number: 1 1 156 Spirochaetaceae Phylum 2 Ali Karami1 . Meysam Sarshar1 . Reza Ranjbar1 . Rahim Sorouri Zanjani2 1 3 Molecular Biology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2 4 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, 5 Tehran, Iran 7 Basic Biology of the Spirochetal Bacteria . ............. 1 endemic relapsing fever, leptospirosis, swine dysentery, and 46 periodontal disease (> Table 156.1) (Cabello et al. 2001; Cullen 47 8 Molecular Analysis of Spirochetes . ....................... 3 et al. 2004; Li et al. 2000; Leschine et al. 2006; Paster and 48 9 DNA-DNA Hybridization Studies . 3 Dewhirst 2000; Pavia et al. 1994). 49 10 Linear and Circular Plasmids in Borrelia burgdorferi ..... 4 All members of the spirochetes phylum range from 0.1 50 to 0.5 mm in width and from 10 to 50 mm in length (Pavia 51 11 Molecular Diagnostics of Spirochetes . ....................... 7 et al. 1994). For example, Leptospira are so thin (0.12 mm in 52 12 Borrelia spp. ............................................... 7 diameter) that they cannot be seen with a light microscope. 53 13 Leptospira spp. ............................................. 8 Cristispira and Spirosymplokos are so large (>100 mm long) 54 14 Treponema Pallidum . 8 that they approach the size of multicellular organisms (Li et al. 55 15 Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Method . 9 2000). Use of dark-field or phase-contrast microscopy or 56 16 Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) Analysis . 11 staining with a fluorochrome dye such as acridine orange and 57 then viewing under a microscope equipped for fluorescence 58 microscopy is the best way to visualize spirochetes 59 17 Abstract (> Fig. 156.1) (Pavia et al. 1994). Spirochetes are difficult to 60 18 Spirochaetaceae is a family of spirochetes that cause syphilis, grow in the laboratory; therefore, specialized media and culture 61 19 Lyme disease, epidemic and endemic relapsing fever, leptospi- conditions (such as low oxygen tension) are essential to optimize 62 20 rosis, swine dysentery, and periodontal disease. The spirochetes their replicating capabilities (Hardham and Rosey 2000; Pavia 63 21 are presently classified as members of class Spirochaetes in the et al. 1994). 64 22 order Spirochaetales and are divided into three major phyloge- Pathogenic spirochetes exhibit remarkable structural and 65 23 netic groupings or families. The first family, Spirochaetaceae, physiological variability (> Table 156.2). One of the unique fea- 66 24 contains species in the genera Borrelia, Brevinema, Cristispira, tures of spirochetes is their motility, which is mediated by axial 67 25 Spirochaeta, Spironema, and Treponema. The second family, flagella (> Fig. 156.2) with a rapid drifting rotation that allows 68 26 Brachyspiraceae, contains the genus Brachyspira (Serpulina). strains of the Treponema, Borrelia, and Leptospira genera to 69 27 The third family, Leptospiraceae, contains species of the genera invade and colonize host tissues, resulting in diseases such as 70 28 Leptonema and Leptospira. One of the unique features of spiro- Lyme disease and syphilis. Moreover, some can swim in a highly 71 29 chetes is motility mediated by axial flagella with a rapid drifting viscous, gel-like medium, such as that found in connective tissue, 72 30 rotation. The DNA of the Spirochaeta species contains guanine and inhibit the motility of most other bacteria (Caro-Quintero 73 31 (G) + cytosine (C) ranging from 51 % to 65 mol %. The presence et al. 2012; Lux et al. 2001; Rosey et al. 1996; Sadziene et al. 1991). 74 32 of several linear plasmids seems to cause the segmentation of The periplasmic flagella (PFs) consist of a core of at least 75 33 Borrelia DNA into several linear pieces. This has led to the three related proteins (FlaB1, FlaB2, and FlaB3) and a sheath of 76 34 suggestion that the relatively small linear chromosome and the FlaA protein. In all species of spirochetes, the PFs are essential 77 35 linear plasmids actually are minichromosomes. Various for motility; they are subterminally attached near each end and 78 36 molecular and immunological detection methods have been extend toward the center of the cell (Charon et al. 2012; Li et al. 79 37 developed for detection and identification of spirochetes. 2000, 2008; Rosey et al. 1996; Sadziene et al. 1991). The latest 80 study indicates that flagellar stiffness directly affects the spiro- 81 chete’s swimming speed (Li et al. 2008). 82 Basic Biology of the Spirochetal Bacteria Spirochetal outer membranes (> Fig. 156.3) are composed 83 38 primarily of phospholipids, outer membrane proteins (OMPs), 84 39 Spirochaetaceae is a family of spirochetes that cause Lyme and, in some instances, lipopolysaccharides (LPS). However, 85 40 disease and relapsing fever. The spirochetes are free-living or many spirochetes, including Treponema and Borrelia, lack 86 41 host-associated, saccharolytic, nonpathogenic, obligate or outer membrane LPS. Some members of the Spirochetes phy- 87 42 facultative anaerobic spiral-shaped bacteria of high motility lum, including Leptospira and Brachyspira, do synthesize LPS, 88 43 and a variable number of periplasmic flagella. Some are the and LPS is the principal surface antigen displayed by these 89 44 etiological agents of several important animal and human organisms and of considerable importance to diagnostics and 90 45 diseases, including syphilis, Lyme disease, epidemic and immunity (Cullen et al. 2004). 91 E. Rosenberg et al. (eds.), The Prokaryotes – Actinobacteria, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-38954-2_156, # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 Comp. by: DMuthuKumar Stage: Revises1 Chapter No.: 156 Title Name: HbPK-Vol11 Date:11/1/14 Time:02:28:12 Page Number: 2 2 156 Spirochaetaceae Phylum . t1:1 Table 156.1 Characteristics of spirochetes (Cabello et al. 2001) No. of flagella Human Family Genera Species Chromosome % G+C content Bacteriophages Plasmids (per extremity)