The <i>A</i>. <i>baumannii</i> DSM30011 T6SS is required for out-competing <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i>.

<p>A) Representative image showing survival of DH5α <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> after incubation in growth medium (control) or with <i>A</i>. <i>baumannii</i> ATCC17978 wild type and Δ<i>tssM</i> strains at a 1:1 ratio with or without the presence of a membrane (+M) and B) corresponding quantification (<i>N</i> = 6). C) Survival of DH5α <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> after incubation in growth medium (control) or with <i>A</i>. <i>baumannii</i> DSM30011 wild type, Δ<i>tssM</i> and Δ<i>tssM</i> complemented strains at a 1:1 ratio, with D) corresponding quantification (<i>N</i> = 4). E) 18% SDS-PAGE (stained with Coomassie Blue) analysis of Hcp secretion in concentrated culture supernatants of <i>A</i>. <i>baumannii</i> DSM30011 wild type, Δ<i>tssM</i> and <i>tssM</i> complemented strains grown up to exponential phase in TSB. Molecular markers are indicated on the left. All quantifications are expressed as means ± SDM plotted in a logarithmic scale.