Figure 5. Antibody production in individual mice.

The sera from four individual mice at each timepoint were used in A. ELISAs, B. neutralization assays, and C. Western blots. Mice 2–1 and 2–4 were immunized with wild type Che8, while mice 3–2 and 3–4 were immunized with Che8 Δ110-1, as indicated above each dataset (see also Table S3). Logistic fits of the ELISA curves yield half-maximal serum titers of antibodies that bind to both wild type Che8 (red) and Che8 Δ110-1 (blue), as well as uncoated wells (black). Neutralization assays were performed against both phages, as indicated above the plaque plate images. Western blots probe the reactivity of the mouse sera to both wild type Che8 (wt, red) and Che8 Δ110-1 (Δ blue) and were exposed for 2 minutes 59.4 seconds for sera from mice immunized with wild type Che8 while Western blots using sera from Mouse 3–2 and Mouse 3–4 (dosed with Che8 Δ110) were exposed for 18.4 seconds. D. Immunogold staining of wild type and mutant Che8 particles. Sera from mice 2–4 and 3–2 collected at week 2 were tested and the numbers of gold particles per virion (total) or binding to either capsid or tail are plotted (three rightmost panels). Datapoints are shown for at least 24 virions imaged for each and represented as box plots with lines showing mean values and boundaries of +/− one standard error. Representative micrographs are shown at the left; scale bar corresponds to 100 nm.