Effect of qseBC mutation on the intracellular survival of B. pseudomallei in J774A.1 macrophage-like cells.

Murine J774A.1 macrophages were infected with either B. pseudomallei wild-type K96243 or its ΔqseBC mutant at an MOI 0.1. At 2, 4, 6, 8 and 24 h post-infection, infected cells were lysed with 0.1% Triton X-100 and the numbers of viable intracellular bacteria were enumerated. A B. pseudomallei bsaZ mutant was included as positive control. Two independent experiments were performed. Error bars represent standard errors of the means. Asterisks indicate significant differences following students t-test (P ≤ 0.05, t-test) compared with the B. pseudomallei wild-type strain.