Figure 7. C. trachomatis serovar D induced cytopathic effects are less pronounced in CT166-mutant expressing cells.

HeLa-CT166-mut cells and HeLa-control cells were infected with C. trachomatis D (MOI 100) or mock infected, following pre-treatment with 1 µg/ml tetracycline for 24 h. At 2 h post infection the cytopathic effects were less pronounced in CT166-mut expressing cells as determined by staining of the actin cytoskeleton with rhodamine-phalloidin (A) and by quantification of cell rounding. Rounded cells (cell diameter <30 µm) are given as ratio in percent (** indicates significant differences as compared to the corresponding control cells, p<0.005) (B). The average cell diameter was determined (** indicates significant differences as compared to the corresponding control cells, p<0.005) (C). Depicted is the mean ± SD of three independent experiments.