FIG 3.

Hfq inhibits the T3SS-dependent toxicity of P. aeruginosa toward cultured cells. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were cocultured at an MOI of 10 with wild-type strain PA103, ΔexsA, ΔexsD, and an hfq mutant transformed with either a vector control (pJN) or an Hfq expression plasmid (pHfq). (A) Lactate dehydrogenase release as a marker of cytotoxicity was measured over a time course (reported in arbitrary units). The reported values represent the average of three wells with the standard error. (B) Lactate dehydrogenase release data from the 30-min time point in panel A relative to the wild-type PA103 vector control. *, P < 0.0001.