FIGURE 5.

Acidic pH conditions increase biofilm/virulence-related gene expression of P. aeruginosa. (A) P. aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm was cultured in pH adjusted DMEM for 3 h. Physiologically related biofilm condition in pH 7.5 was used as a control for biofilm growth. Planktonic form of P. aeruginosa inoculated in pH 7.5 was also included for comparison (n = 4). (B) PAO1 motility assays. PAO1 swarming and twitching motility assays were performed on pH adjusted M8 agar (n = 20). Data were representative of two independent experiments. Results are mean ± SEM. One-way ANOVA and Dunnett’s multiple comparisons test were used for gene expression statistical analysis. Student’s t-tests were used for bacterial motility assay statistical analysis ^∗p < 0.05; ^∗∗p < 0.01; ^∗∗∗p < 0.001; ^∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001; NS, not significant.