Fig. 5.

The Rel2 signaling pathway plays a role in mosquito tolerance and resistance against systemic but not oral Sm infections. Survival assays following Sm oral (OD₆₀₀ = 1) (a) and systemic (OD₆₀₀ = 0.0005) (b) infections in mosquitoes silenced for either Rel1 or Rel2. One representative experiment is shown from at least 3 independent biological experiments. The Kaplan-Meier survival test was used to calculate percent survival. Statistical significance of the observed differences was calculated using the log-rank test. c Bacterial proliferation assays conducted on Rel2 kd mosquitoes injected with Sm (OD₆₀₀ = 0.0005). Batches of 8 whole mosquitoes were grinded in the LB medium at 24 h after infection, and CFUs were scored on LB plates supplemented with the appropriate antibiotic. Each point on the scatter plot represents the mean CFU per mosquito per batch. Statistical analysis was performed using Robust ANOVA in R. Data shown are from at least 3 independent biological experiments. d Transcript levels of Rel1 and Rel2 measured by qRT-PCR in whole female mosquitoes at 3 days following injection of their respective dsRNA. Error bars represent standard error of the mean of 2 biological repeats. Statistical analysis was done using Student's t test. Sm, Serratia marcescens; CFU, colony-forming unit.