This study shows that type I interferon signaling is critical for early control of Borrelia burgdorferi infection by enhancing macrophage function and immune cell recruitment, but contributes to inflammation later in infection.

PLoS Pathogens · Oct 26, 2026Peer-reviewedMicrobiology

Borrelia burgdorferi Secretes c-di-AMP as an Extracellular Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern to Elicit Type I Interferon Responses in Mammalian Hosts

Raj Priya, Meiping Ye, Sajith Raghunandanan, Qiang Liu, Wei Li, Qigui Yu, Yongliang Lou, Herman O. Sintim, Xiuli Yang

This study identifies c-di-AMP as a key extracellular PAMP secreted by Borrelia burgdorferi that triggers type I interferon responses in mammalian hosts via STING signaling.

The Journal of Immunology · Jul 3, 2025Peer-reviewedImmunology

Positive feedback regulation between RpoS and BosR in the Lyme disease pathogen

Sajith Raghunandanan, Raj Priya, Gaofeng Lin, F. F. Alanazi, Andrew Zoss, Elise Warren, Philip E. Stewart, Xiuli Yang

This study identifies a positive feedback loop between RpoS and BosR in Borrelia burgdorferi, showing RpoS regulates BosR protein levels through post-transcriptional mechanisms.

mBio · Jan 28, 2025Peer-reviewedMicrobiology

MCP5, a methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein regulated by both the Hk1-Rrp1 and Rrp2-RpoN-RpoS pathways, is required for the immune evasion of Borrelia burgdorferi

Sajith Raghunandanan, Kai Zhang, Yan Zhang, Raj Priya, Ching Wooen Sze, Yongliang Lou, Michael J. Lynch, Brian R. Crane, Mark H. Kaplan, Chunhao Li, Xiuli Yang

This study identifies MCP5 as essential for Borrelia burgdorferi's immune evasion and transmission, regulated by two signaling pathways.

PLoS Pathogens · Dec 30, 2024Peer-reviewedMicrobiology