Fig. 3: Analysis of the development of Agr (QS)-dysfunctional mutants in the catheter infection model over time. | npj Biofilms and Microbiomes

Fig. 3: Analysis of the development of Agr (QS)-dysfunctional mutants in the catheter infection model over time.

From: Antibiotic treatment can exacerbate biofilm-associated infection by promoting quorum cheater development

Fig. 3

a Experimental setup. Mice were implanted with catheters with 1 × 103–104 adherent bacterial CFU and received intraperitoneal injections of 0.25 ml containing 0.3 mg ml−1 Van (3.75 mg kg−1) or oral doses of 0.4 ml containing 0.04 mg ml−1 Lev (0.8 mg kg−1) daily for 9 days after infection. Controls received no antibiotic. Different groups of mice (n = 6/group) were euthanized on days 1, 3, or 9 after initiation of antibiotic treatment. b, c CFU on the catheters in the different groups after euthanizing. Statistical analysis is by Mann–Whitney tests. Error bars show the geometric mean and geometric SD. d, e Agr (QS) dysfunctionality was assessed by hemolysis on sheep agar plates. Statistical analysis is by Fisher’s exact test at every time point based on the underlying raw data (hemolysis phenotype) of analyzed clones.

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