Genetic analysis of a Treponema phagedenis locus encoding antigenic lipoproteins with potential for antigenic variation

•Identification of immunogenic proteins VpsA and VpsB in Treponema phagedenis.•Three immunogenic proteins are encoded by genes in close proximity to each other.•vpsA and prrA occur in allelic variants in different T. phagedenis isolates.•Alterations in (TA)n repeats within the promoter may regulate VpsA/B expression.•Provides an explanation for antigenic variation observed in T. phagedenis isolates.

Digital dermatitis (DD) is a painful and debilitating claw disease in cattle. Spirochetes of the genus Treponema are found in high numbers in the lesions and are likely to be involved in the pathogenesis. The occurrence of Treponema phagedenis in DD lesions, especially near the interface of healthy and diseased tissue, suggests that this species contributes to the development and/or progression of the lesions. In this study we characterized a genetic locus in T. phagedenis that contains coding regions for three antigenic proteins, PrrA, VpsA, and VpsB. Comparative analysis of homologous loci from fifteen strains suggests that prrA may be transposed into or out of this locus. Alterations in the copy number of TA repeats within the putative promoter region may regulate VpsA/B expression. The vpsA and prrA genes occur in allelic variants in different T. phagedenis isolates and may provide one explanation for the antigenic variation observed in T. phagedenis DD isolates.