FIG 4.

Blocking colanic acid transport inhibits spheroplast recovery. Spheroplasts unable to assemble or transport CA were grown on osmotically protected sucrose recovery medium, and the recovery process was monitored by time-lapse phase-contrast microscopy. Time after plating (hour:minute) is displayed in each panel. The images are representative. (A) E. coli DR39 ΔwcaD (n = 9); (B) E. coli DR40 ΔwzxC (n = 22); (C) E. coli DR44 Δugd (n = 5); (D) E. coli DR45, in which ugd is complemented with the pUgd plasmid (n = 4); (E) E. coli DR41 ΔcpsB (n = 7); (F) E. coli DR42 ΔcpsG (n = 4); (G) E. coli DR43, in which ΔcpsG is complemented with the pCpsG plasmid (n = 8).