Figure 4.

Killing activity of hydrogel-encapsulated colicins. (A) Levels of encapsulated protein (mg/ml) after suspension. (B) Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and (C) inhibition of growth of E. coli LF82StrpR by colicins E9 and Ia and hydrogel-encapsulated colicin E9 and Ia. Clear zones indicate cell death. Data represent four different experiments (mean±SD). Statistical analysis was carried out for each subset using a Mann–Whitney test between the control protein and the hydrogel particles and no significant differences were found. Hydrogel microcapsules that did not contain encapsulated colicins showed no bactericidal activity.