Fig. 4

XBP1 mRNA splicing in VACV infected A31 MEFs. A A31 cells were infected with VACV at a MOI of 10 or treated with tunicamycin (TM) for 24 h. Total RNA was extracted and XBP1 mRNA transcripts were amplified by RT-PCR, digested with PstI, and DNA fragments were resolved on an ethidium bromide-stained agarose gel (upper panel). The spliced transcript lacks a PstI site and migrates slower than the digested unspliced transcript. Densitometry analysis of XBP1 spliced isoform was plotted as bar diagrams showing means ± SEM of three replicates (bottom panel). *, ** and *** indicate statistically significant differences between samples (p < 0.05; p < 0.01; p < 0.001 respectively) as determined by one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s test