To understand how C. trachomatis-infected host cells respond to infection at the various stages of C. trachomatis development, we infected HeLa cells with C. trachomatis serovar E. Cells were harvested at 20 hpi, 44 hpi without IFN-γ treatment or 44 hpi with IFN-γ treatment, mimicking the RB, EB, and ARB stages of C. trachomatis development, respectively (Fig. 1a). Here, IFNG is linked to infection.