Table 1.

List of reverse and forward primers for the genes used in the study.

Gene	Primers 5’ → 3′	Function
aae-F aae-R	5′-GAGGAGGATTTTAAAGTGC-3′ 5′-AACATGACCATAGTAACC-3′	Surface-associated protein with bacteriolytic and adhesive properties autolysin/adhesins potentially involved in colonization.
aap-F aap-R	5′-GCACCAGCTGTTGTTGTACC-3′ 5′-GCATGCCTGCTGATAGTTCA-3′	Accumulation-associated protein (AAP) is involved in protein-associated biofilm formation and accumulation
atlE-F atlE-R	5′- TGT CCT GCT TTC ACG TAT GA -3′ 5′- TTTACGTGGTTAAGGTTTCT-3′	Autolysin/adhesins involved in primary adherence and attachment
ica ADBC-F icaADBC-R	5′-TTATCAATG CCGCAGTTGTC-3′ 5′- GTTTAACGCGAGTGCGCTAT-3′	Gene cluster encoding the production of polysaccharide intercellular adhesin (PIA), which mediates the intercellular adherence of bacteria and the accumulation of multilayer biofilm
agrA-F agrA-R	5′- AAGCGGGGAAGTAATTCAGT-5′-ATCGTGTCGAACTACTTGCA-3'	S. epidermidis accessory gene regulator system. Enhanced agr activity causes upregulation of many exoproteins, such as the d-toxin, promoting biofilm detachment and downregulation of surface-associated proteins.
agrB-F agrB-R	5′-TTCGTTTAGGGATGCAGGTA-3′ 5′-ATCCTCTGTACGTGTGCCAT-3′
agrC-F agrC-R	5′-CATCAATATCGCATTCATCG-3′ 5′-ATTTCCACTATTAGCGCCAA-3′
agrD-F agrD-R	5′CACTACAATCTTGGAATTTATTGGT-3′ 5′-AACTGCTTGGTCTTCATGGTC-3′
luxS-F luxS-R	5′-ACACCGCTGCGATACTGCCGCCGGT-3′ 5′-AGCCGGTGCGGCAGCCAAACGGTGA-3′	Quorum sensing system
bhp-F bhp-R	5′-TCCTCAGTAGCAGCAAGCAA-3′ 5′-GAAGTAAACCATTCAGATAGCGACA-3′	Bap homologue protein involved in accumulation in a PIA independent biofilm
16S rRNA-F 16S rRNA-R	5′- GGGCTACACACGTGCTACAA-3′ 5′-GTACAAGACCCGGGAACGTA-3′	16 S ribosomal RNA/housekeeping genes