FIG. 5.

Motor protein-deficient P. aeruginosa strains are resistant to phagocytosis by ex vivo primary phagocytic cells from the peritoneum and the lung. (A) C57BL/6 peritoneal exudate cells were harvested by lavage and assayed by FACS ex vivo for relative cellular association with the GFP-expressing bacterial strains indicated. MFI, mean fluorescence intensity. (B) Peritoneal phagocytes were assayed for relative phagocytosis of WT PA14, flgK, and ΔmotAB ΔmotCD bacteria by gentamicin protection assay. (C) C57BL/6 lung phagocytes were harvested via bronchoalveolar lavage and subsequently assayed by FACS ex vivo for relative cellular association with GFP-transformed bacteria as indicated. (D) Lung phagocytes were assayed by gentamicin protection assay ex vivo for relative uptake of WT, flagellum-deficient mutant flgK, and flagellar motor protein-deficient mutant ΔmotAB ΔmotCD bacteria. For all graphs, n is ≥4 and means, standard deviations, and statistical significance (asterisks) are shown.