Lyme disease spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi does not require thiamin.

Thiamin pyrophosphate (ThDP), the active form of thiamin (vitamin B), is believed to be an essential cofactor for all living organisms. Here, we report the unprecedented result that thiamin is dispensable for the growth of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb). Bb lacks genes for thiamin biosynthesis and transport as well as known ThDP-dependent enzymes, and we were unable to detect thiamin or its derivatives in Bb cells.