qRT-PCR analysis of P. aeruginosa PAO1 WT and PAO1-pqsE mutant gene expression in response to LL-37 (20 µg/ml)a.

P. aeruginosa PAO1 WT or PAO1-pqsE were grown in MH broth containing either 20 µg/ml LL-37 or no LL-37 (control) for 2 h at 37°C following RNA isolation and qRT-PCR analysis.a Mid-log phase cultures of ≥6). ct values were normalized against expression of housekeeping gene rpoD. Fold changes in gene expression of LL-37-treated cells compared to untreated controls were calculated using the ΔΔct method [67]. n.d.: not determined.b Mean averages and standard deviations of three independent experiment, each analyzed at least in duplicate (n