Figure 7. TraA-dependent OM exchange confers protection from inter-strain killing.

A) Labeled M. fulvus (stained red with DiD lipid dye) was mixed at a 1∶1 cell ratio with isogenic labeled DK1622 derivative strains (stained green with CFDA SE) that contain either TraA^DK1622 (DK8601*) or TraA^{M. fulvus} (DW1470*). After incubation on an agar surface for the indicated times, cells were collected for microscopic examination to determine the ratio of red to green or yellow cells. Between 300 and >1,000 cells were scored for each time point. B) The experiment was carried out as in A, except DK801 was mixed with isogenic DK1622 derivative strains that contained either TraA^DK1622 (DK8601*) or ΔTraA (DW1467*). Results are representative from multiple experiments.