FIG 7.

H. ducreyi adherence to HFF cells and Flp protein expression. (A) Percent adherence of H. ducreyi 35000HP, 35000HPΔdksA, 35000HPΔrelAΔspoT, and 35000HPΔflp1-3 to HFF cells calculated as follows: (geometric mean CFU of HFF-adherent bacteria/geometric mean CFU of initial bacteria added per well) × 100. The data are means plus SD from 5 independent experiments. *, P ≤ 0.05. (B and C) Western blot analysis of whole-cell lysates (B) and purified outer membranes (C) analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Samples were probed with Flp1/2 antibody. MAb 3B9 was used to verify equivalent loading. Data are representative of four independent experiments. Lanes 1, 35000HP; lanes 2, 35000HPΔdksA; lane 3, 35000HPΔrelAΔspoT; lanes 4, 35000HP.400, the tadA mutant; lanes 5, 35000HPΔflp1-3, the flp mutant.