PLK3 and infection: For the acute model of infection, 4 -6 weeks female BALB/C mice were infected with 500 bacilli (≈ 500 CFU) of H37Rv through the aerosolization in the Madison aerosol chamber, and after one week of post-infection, mice were randomly grouped as H37Rv infected control and PRK treated group (n=6), and treatment started as in chronic models for four weeks (Figure 2A). After 4 weeks of treatment in both infection models, the mice were humanely sacrificed to assess bacterial load in the lungs and spleens.