Extended Data Figure 3: F17-like pili are not required for UTI in mice.
From: Selective depletion of uropathogenic E. coli from the gut by a FimH antagonist
C3H/HeN mice received a transurethral inoculation of wild-type UTI89 and UTI89Δucl, concurrently (a, b), or individually (c–e). a, UTI89Δucl and wild-type strains persist at similar levels in the urine over 28 days in competitive infections. b, The two strains are also present at equal levels in the bladder and kidney at the time of euthanization (28 days after infection). c, Single infection with the wild-type strain (black circles) or the F17-like mutant strain (white circles) produces similar levels of bacteruria over 28 days. d, Single strain infection also produces similar levels of viable cells in homogenates of whole bladder or kidneys collected at the time of euthanization (28 days after infection). There was no statistically significant difference in the number of mice that resolved bacteriuria while maintaining bladder-associated CFUs after transurethral infection with either wild-type UTI89 or UTI89Δucl (highlighted in red in d), suggesting that both strains are capable of forming similar numbers of quiescent intracellular reservoirs. e, Mice infected transurethrally with wild-type or Δucl strains of UTI89 exhibit a similar number of IBCs at 6 h in the bladder, indicating that loss of the ucl operon does not alter the ability of UTI89 to form IBCs. Error bars represent mean ± s.e.m. (a, b), geometric mean (c, d) or median (e). No significant difference was detected between any samples by Wilcoxon signed-rank test (a, b) or Mann–Whitney U test (c–e). n = 10 mice, 2 biological replicates (a, b, e); n = 16 mice, 3 biological replicates (c, d).
