FIG 2 .
QStatin inhibits the QS master regulator SmcR. (a) The chemical structure of QStatin, 1-(5-bromothiophene-2-sulfonyl)-1H-pyrazole. (b) The EC50 values for QStatin were calculated from three independent experiments and expressed as means ± SD. (c) Total protease and elastase activities of V. vulnificus ΔsmcR mutant and WT strains treated with DMSO or QStatin are indicated. Each activity level was measured, and the results are presented as a bar graph; data are expressed as means ± SD of results from three independent experiments. The amount of SmcR and DnaK (control) in each sample was determined by immunoblotting; one representative image is shown. Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA (****, P < 0.0001).