FIG. 7.

Promoter fusion assay using strain UAMS-1 with cloned P1 promoter fragment. Bacteria were grown to mid-exponential growth phase in modified LB medium adjusted to pH 7.4 (▪) or pH 5.5 (□), followed by incubation with increasing concentrations of α-defensins (HNP1 to HNP3) for 2 h. Equal numbers of bacteria were lysed, and promoter activities are expressed as equivalents of β-galactosidase (in nanograms). Standard deviations are derived from at least two independent cultures. n.d., not determined.