Then cells were transfected with 20 nM SiRNA and after 24 h level of PKC were determined by immunoblotting. (A) 24 h after transfection control cells (C) and (ΔA) cells transfected with SiRNA PKCα, (ΔD) cells transfected with SiRNA PKCδ, (S) cells transfected with scrambled SiRNA (PKC-α SiRNA which does not block PKCα), were infected with MS (MOI = 1:10) for 2 h, washed and remaining extracellular bacilli were killed by amikacin treatment for 1 h, again washed, lysed in 0.05% SDS and plated for cfu. ‘T’ test was performed for statistical analysis of data, (B) 24 h after infection

% survival of MS in THP-1 cells transfected with either SiRNA targeting PKC-α (ΔA) or scrambled SiRNA (S), because phagocytosis of MS was different in control and PKC-α deficient cells, cfu at 0 h was considered 100% and survival of MS is presented as percentage of the initial cfu that survive in macrophages after 24 h. (C) 24 h after transfection, level of PKC-δ in GS 1101 cells transfected with SiRNA targeting PKC-δ or scrambled SiRNA, (D) Phagocytosis of MS by mouse macrophage cell line J774A.1 cells pretreated with an

inhibitor of PKC-α (Go6976) for 30 minute before infection. Data are means ± standard deviations from three independent experiments each performed in 4 replicates. (*** = p < 0.0001, * = p < 0.05). Detection of expression of PknG in different mycobacteria PknG has been shown to inhibit phagosomal maturation [9], a process that is promoted by PKC-α [13, 15–17], and which helps in survival of mycobacteria PAK5 within macrophages. There seems to be an inverse relationship between PknG and PKC-α in terms of regulation of events involved RXDX-101 in vivo in phagosomal maturation and intracellular survival of mycobacteria. This led us to think about some relationship between PknG

and PKC-α in determining the intracellular survival of mycobacteria. To check the expression of PknG in mycobacteria, we cloned, expressed, purified protein [see additional file 1] and raised antiserum. Immunoblotting of mycobacterial lysates using anti-PknG serum shows that PknG is expressed in Rv, Ra and BCG but not in MS [see additional file 1(C)]. Construction of recombinant MS expressing PknG To underline the specific role of PknG in controlling PKC-α, the gene was expressed in MS. Cloning of pknG in pMV361 vector was confirmed by restriction digestion [see additional file 1(D)]. For expression, pMV361-pknG was electroporated into MS and resultant clones (MS-G) were confirmed by PCR [see additional file 1(E)] and immunoblotting using anti-PknG serum [see additional file 1(F)]. Recombinant MS downregulates macrophage PKC-α during infection BCG and Ra are laboratory produced avirulent strains that still infect and grow within mammalian hosts, though they do not lead to the chronic disease that their virulent counterparts do. However, BCG and Ra are able to inhibit the maturation of phagosome which is consistent with their ability to downregulate PKC-α.