Equivalent OD600 nm for each extract was used for serial twofold Neratinib chemical structure dilutions. Two microliters of each dilution was applied to a nitrocellulose membrane (Hybond; Amersham). OMP immunodetection was performed with the following monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) (ref.): anti-lipopolysaccharide (A76/12G12/F12) anti-Omp16 MAb (A68/08C03/G03) at 1/100 anti-Omp25 MAb (A68/4B10/F5) at 1/100, anti-Omp31 MAb (A59/10F9/G10) at 1/10 and anti-Omp36 Mab (A68/25G5/A5) at 1/100. Horseradish peroxidase-conjugated goat antimouse antibodies (Amersham) were used at 1/5000 along with the ECL system (Amersham)
to develop blots for chemoluminescence before visualization on film. Dot blots using MAbs specific for Omp16 (PAL lipoprotein) were used as internal loading controls. Brucella melitensis were grown for 20 h in 2YT medium at 37 °C.
Bacteria pellets were fixed overnight in a solution containing 2.5% glutaraldehyde and 0.1 M phosphate beta-catenin inhibitor buffer (pH 7.4). After fixation, cells were washed, postfixed with 1% osmium tetroxide for 1 h, washed again and subjected to serial dehydration with ethanol. Samples were embedded in resin, thin-sectioned and stained with uranyl acetate and Reynold’s lead citrate. Finally, the samples were examined using a TEM (Technai 10; Philips) at the Unité Interfacultaire de Microscopie Electronique (University of Namur, Belgium). The surface attachment assay was performed using the crystal violet method, as described previously (O’Toole Dapagliflozin et al., 1999): 200 μL cultures were grown overnight in a 96-well polystyrene plate in 2YT medium. Plates were incubated at 37 °C for 20 h with agitation. Biofilm formation was assayed by the ability of cells to adhere to the polystyrene wells. The liquid medium was removed and the attached cells were washed with sterile PBS (pH 7.4). The attached bacteria were visualized by staining with 0.05% solution of crystal violet
(GRAM’S solution; Merck) for 2 min at room temperature, followed by rinsing with water and air drying. Quantification of surface-attached bacteria was achieved by dissolving crystal violet in 200 μL of 100% ethanol. The ethanol was transferred and the volume was brought to 1 mL with dH2O and the absorbance was determined at 596 nm in a spectrophotometer (Genesys). The infections of HeLa cells were performed as described previously (Delrue et al., 2001). A ΔvjbR mutant was used as a negative control for replication defects during the cellular infection. Each infection was perfomed in triplicate. The adherence of Brucella strains to monolayers of HeLa cells was performed on glass cover slips according to the protocol described in Castaňeda-Roldán et al. (2004). Plates were centrifuged for 10 min at 200 g at room temperature in a Jouan centrifuge and placed in a 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C. After 1, 6, 24, 30 and 48 h of infection, wells were washed three times with PBS and incubated for 20 min with 4% paraformaldehyde to fix cells and bacteria.