FIG. 5.

Differential colonization of mouse lymphatic organs with YopE_wt- and YopE_K62R/K75Q-producing yersiniae following orogastric mouse infection. Equal groups of BALB/c mice were orogastrically infected with 2 × 10⁸ yersiniae producing either wild-type (WA-YopE_wt) or K62- and K75-mutagenized (WA-YopE_K62R/K75Q) YopE O8. Peyer's patches, livers, and spleens were removed at day 3 postinfection, homogenized, and plated to determine bacterial CFU. Values represent the average log CFU per organ for seven mice, with standard errors of the means indicated by error bars. Asterisks denote statistical significances (P < 0.05) in the colonization values between the two strains (liver, P = 0.0487; spleen, P = 0.0065).