The Hfq RNA chaparone protein of 102 aas.  It influences persistence formation in bacteria and multidrug resistance (Bloch et al. 2025).  Since fluoroquinolones use both protein- and lipid-mediated pathways to cross the outer membrane, Hfq probably influences both processes as its absence causes more effective accumulation of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin in Escherichia coli cells, irrespective of the presence or absence of the AcrB efflux pump (Turbant et al. 2025).