FIG. 4.
Correlation of different levels of ica transcription in an OC and a repeated SC and phenotypical features of PIA production. (A) Northern blot analysis of icaADBC after glucose induction of an OC and a repeated SC of S. epidermidis. An OC and an SC of S. epidermidis 1457 in TA were grown to the stationary phase as described in Materials and Methods. Total bacterial RNA was extracted from the cultures before the addition of glucose (0 h) and at 2-h intervals after the addition of glucose. Hybridization was performed with an icaC-specific oligonucleotide. (B) PIA production after glucose induction of an OC and a repeated SC of S. epidermidis. Twenty-milliliter aliquots were removed from each culture before (0 h) and every 2 h after glucose induction and adjusted to the same OD. Bacterial extracts were prepared by sonication, and the presence of PIA was detected by coagglutination of serial dilutions with PIA-specific antibodies.