FIG 2.

Impact of dnaK knockout on bacterial virulence. (A) Survival curves of rat pups after oral infection with wild-type, dnaK knockout, and complemented strains. Combined data from three independent experiments are presented (*, P < 0.05; ***, P < 0.001, using log-rank test for comparison between the survival curves of wild-type and dnaK knockout strains). (B to D) Quantification of CFUs in the blood, liver, and spleen of infected rats at 24 h postinfection, determined by organ homogenizing and plating.