Fig 9. Acinetobactin biosynthetic mutant is severely attenuated for survival and proliferation within the host.
Mice were systemically infected with WT A. baumannii or its isogenic siderophore biosynthetic mutants, as indicated. After 24 h, mice were sacrificed and the bacterial burdens of the kidneys, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and blood were determined by plating for viable cell counts on lysogeny agar. Each symbol represents the A. baumannii count in the corresponding organ of one animal. Data are compiled from three independent experiments. Statistical significance was determined by Kruskal-Wallis with Dunn’s multiple comparisons test, where *p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001.