FIG 5.

Effect of starvation and cold temperature (4°C) on chitin attachment. The chitin attachment efficiency of a C-genotype strain (C7184) during prolonged starvation in 1/2-strength ASW at 20°C or 4°C is shown. Cells were VBNC at day 18 at 4°C. Error bars represent the standard errors of the means from three biological replicates. Starvation increases the ability of V. vulnificus to attach to chitin. However, longer-term starvation (18 days) leads to decreased attachment to chitin relative to that after short-term starvation (2 days). There was significantly less chitin attachment by cells incubated at 4°C for 2 and 18 days than cells incubated at 20°C. Different letters indicate statistically significant differences (one-way ANOVA, P < 0.0001).