FIG 2 .

TbERP silencing has minimal effect on proliferation. Transgenic BSF cell lines expressing the tetracycline-inducible TbERP RNAi constructs were cultured with (filled circles) or without (open circles) tetracycline. Cell density was measured with a hemacytometer, and cells were adjusted back to the starting density every 24 h. Mean ± SEM values from triplicate cultures (for each treatment) are presented (*, P < 0.05, Student’s t test). TbERP2 silencing caused a modest growth defect (~50%), observable after 72 h of RNAi induction. All subsequent RNAi phenotypic analyses of TbERP1, TbERP2, TbERP3, and TbERP8 were performed at 72 h of RNAi induction in BSF cells.