The Group B Streptococcal surface antigen I/II protein, BspC, interacts with host vimentin to promote adherence to brain endothelium and inflammation during the pathogenesis of meningitis
Fig 2
BspC bacterial adherence to endothelial cells in vitro.
(A-D) Scanning electron microscopy images of WT (A and C) and ΔbspC mutant (B and D) GBS. Scale bar in high magnification images (A and B) is 1 μM. Scale bar in low magnification images (C and D) is 50 μM. (E) Adherence of WT GBS, the ΔbspC mutant, and the ΔbspCpDC.bspC complemented strain to hCMEC was assessed after a 30 min incubation. Total cell-associated bacteria are shown. (F) Invasion of WT GBS, the ΔbspC mutant, and the ΔbspCpDC.bspC strain was quantified after a 2 h infection. (G) Adherence and (H) invasion of Lactococcus lactis containing the pMSP empty vector or pMSP.bspC to hCMEC were quantified. Data indicates the percentage of the initial inoculum that was recovered. Experiments were performed three times with each condition in triplicate. Data from one representative experiment are shown and error bars represent the standard deviation. Statistical analysis: (E and F) One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. (G and H) Unpaired t test. *, P < 0.05.