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Volume 14
Issue 11
10.3390/pathogens14111182
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Comparative Genomics of Two Newly Sequenced Rodent-Derived and One Previously Reported Tick-Derived Borrelia garinii Strains from South Korea Reveals Plasmid Variation and Virulence Gene Diversity

by
Hyungsuk Kang
1,2,3,†,
Yeon-Joo Choi
1,2,3,†,
Ji-Young Park
4,†,
Kwangjun Lee
4 and
Won-Jong Jang
1,2,3,*
1
Department of Microbiology, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
2
Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
3
Institute of Biomedical Sciences & Technology, Konkuk University, 120 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
4
Division of Zoonotic and Vector Borne Disease Research, National Institute of Health, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Osong, Cheongju 28160, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Pathogens 2025, 14(11), 1182; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111182
Submission received: 30 October 2025 / Revised: 14 November 2025 / Accepted: 16 November 2025 / Published: 18 November 2025
Versions Notes

Abstract

Borrelia garinii is a spirochete associated with Lyme borreliosis and is widely distributed across Eurasia. Although its genomic features have been well characterized in Europe, genomic data from East Asian isolates remain limited. Two B. garinii strains, HN13 and HN18, were isolated from a wild rodent (Apodemus agrarius) in South Korea and subjected to whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analysis. Their genomic features were compared with those of a tick-derived Korean strain 935 and additional global reference genomes. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that B. garinii strain HN18 clustered closely with French strains CIP103362 and 20047, whereas B. garinii strain HN13 showed high chromosomal similarity to the Korean strain 935. Both rodent-derived strains harbored plasmids carrying virulence-associated genes, including vlsE and vls silent cassettes, which were absent in B. garinii strain 935. This study provides new genomic insights into B. garinii circulating in East Asia and reveals host-associated plasmid variation linked to virulent potential. This study also suggests possible trans-Eurasian gene flow and underscores the need for continued genomic surveillance to better understand the evolution and epidemiology of Borrelia species.
Keywords: Borrelia garinii; whole-genome sequencing; tick-borne pathogen; lyme borreliosis Borrelia garinii; whole-genome sequencing; tick-borne pathogen; lyme borreliosis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kang, H.; Choi, Y.-J.; Park, J.-Y.; Lee, K.; Jang, W.-J. Comparative Genomics of Two Newly Sequenced Rodent-Derived and One Previously Reported Tick-Derived Borrelia garinii Strains from South Korea Reveals Plasmid Variation and Virulence Gene Diversity. Pathogens 2025, 14, 1182. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111182

AMA Style

Kang H, Choi Y-J, Park J-Y, Lee K, Jang W-J. Comparative Genomics of Two Newly Sequenced Rodent-Derived and One Previously Reported Tick-Derived Borrelia garinii Strains from South Korea Reveals Plasmid Variation and Virulence Gene Diversity. Pathogens. 2025; 14(11):1182. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111182

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kang, Hyungsuk, Yeon-Joo Choi, Ji-Young Park, Kwangjun Lee, and Won-Jong Jang. 2025. "Comparative Genomics of Two Newly Sequenced Rodent-Derived and One Previously Reported Tick-Derived Borrelia garinii Strains from South Korea Reveals Plasmid Variation and Virulence Gene Diversity" Pathogens 14, no. 11: 1182. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111182

APA Style

Kang, H., Choi, Y.-J., Park, J.-Y., Lee, K., & Jang, W.-J. (2025). Comparative Genomics of Two Newly Sequenced Rodent-Derived and One Previously Reported Tick-Derived Borrelia garinii Strains from South Korea Reveals Plasmid Variation and Virulence Gene Diversity. Pathogens, 14(11), 1182. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14111182

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