FIG. 4.

Bacteria exposed to 26°C (▪) or 37°C (□) for 3 h were assessed for their capacities to adhere to epithelial cells in vitro. Adherence to Chang conjunctival cells (A) and A549 cells (B) was analyzed. M. catarrhalis strain O35E was used. Isogenic knockout mutants for uspA1 (O35E.1) and hag (O35E.hag), respectively, were used as control strains. Adherence ratios express the percentages of the inoculum which adhered to the monolayer. Means of three independent experiments are shown. Adherence to Chang cells was significantly increased at 26°C compared to that at 37°C for the wild-type strain (*, P = 0.01 at 26°C versus 37°C).