FIG 1 .

ZapE is required during the Shigella infectious process in vivo. (A) Competitive index (C.I.) of a Shigella flexneri 5A zapE transposon mutant (M90Tmut6), a zapE mutant (M90T::ΔzapE), and a complemented strain (M90T::ΔzapE/pzapE-GFP M90T) in vivo. The C.I. assessed the ability of each mutant to colonize the rabbit ileal loop in comparison with the wild-type strain. A C.I. of 1 indicates no attenuation. Data represent averages of the results of three independent experiments. (B) Immunodetection of the M90T, M90T::ΔzapE, and M90T::ΔzapE/pzapE-GFP strains in the rabbit ileal loop model. DNA was stained with DAPI (blue) and actin with RRX-phalloidin (red). Shigella strains were labeled using α-LPS polyclonal antibody (pAb) (green). Image acquisition was performed using a confocal microscope. Right-hand panels show enlarged areas. Bars are 5 µm.