Cell length of <i>M</i>. <i>smegmatis</i> strains depending on AltRPs and Zn²⁺ availability.

<p><b>(A-D)</b> Box and whisker plots showing the minimum, maximum, interquartile range and median cell lengths observed for WT, <i>ΔaltRP</i>, and <i>ΔaltRP</i>/c strains grown in Sauton’s medium with (ZRM) <b>(A,C)</b> and without added Zn²⁺ (ZLM) <b>(B,D)</b>. Cell length in logarithmic phase, before AltRP expression is shown in panels A and B and cell length after AltRP expression in stationary phase is shown in panels C and D. Representative DIC light micrographs are shown below the box and whisker plot for each strain at both time points. There is no statistically significant difference between average cell lengths of any strains in logarithmic phase (A,B), or between any strains at stationary phase grown in ZRM (C). There is a significant difference in the cell lengths of WT and <i>ΔaltRP</i>/c <i>vs</i>. the <i>ΔaltRP</i> mutant grown in ZLM (D). (Student’s <i>t</i>-test <i>p</i><0.05). The data in this figure are representative of three independent experiments.