FIG 4.

VirB-dependent effector protein BPE005 is responsible for the autophagy phenotype. (A) LX-2 cells were infected with B. abortus (B.a.), its virB10 (ΔvirB10) and bpe005 (Δbpe005) isogenic mutants, and the complemented bpe005 mutant (cbpe005) at an MOI of 1,000, and cell lysates obtained at 24 h postinfection were used to determine LC3 I/II ratios by Western blotting. (B) Densitometric analysis of results from two independent experiments performed as described for panel A. Data are given as the means ± SD from at least three individual experiments. ***, P < 0.001 versus noninfected cells (N.I.); ###, P < 0.001 versus B. abortus.