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This report first demonstrates that BbLDH is a canonical LDH with some unique biochemical and structural features. A loss-of-function study then reveals that BbLDH is essential for\n                  <jats:italic>B. burgdorferi<\/jats:italic>\n                  survival and infectivity, highlighting its therapeutic potential. Drug screening identifies four previously unknown LDH inhibitors with minimal cytotoxicity, two of which inhibit\n                  <jats:italic>B. burgdorferi<\/jats:italic>\n                  growth. This study provides mechanistic insights into the function of BbLDH in the pathophysiology of\n                  <jats:italic>B. burgdorferi<\/jats:italic>\n                  and lays the groundwork for developing genus-specific metabolic inhibitors against\n                  <jats:italic>B. burgdorferi<\/jats:italic>\n                  and potentially other tick-borne pathogens as well.\n                <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1101\/2025.02.07.637162","type":"posted-content","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,8]],"date-time":"2025-02-08T22:55:23Z","timestamp":1739055323000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Lactate dehydrogenase is the Achilles\u2019 heel of Lyme disease bacterium\n                  <i>Borreliella burgdorferi<\/i>"],"prefix":"10.64898","author":[{"given":"Ching Wooen","family":"Sze","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Oral Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, 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