Figure 5

Iron uptake by the aerobactin system is important for intracellular survival and for mouse colonization. (A) J774.A1 macrophage cells were infected with wild type NRG857c or iutA mutant cells. The survival of intracellular bacteria was determined at various times after infection. Data are the mean survival of intracellular bacteria with standard deviation. (*, P < 0.05, Mann Whitney) (B) The aerobactin iron transport system improves colonization in vivo. Groups of mice were infected orally with wild type NRG857c or iutA mutants. Colonization of the small intestine by NRG857c AIEC was determined three days after infection by enumerating the number of cfu in tissue homogenates. Data are the means with standard errors. (**, P < 0.005, Mann Whitney).