FIG. 8.

Northern blot analysis of 2 μg of total RNA from different S. aureus strains. Bacteria were grown to mid-exponential growth phase in modified LB medium adjusted to pH 7.4, followed by incubation with 0, 0.5, or 5 μg of α-defensins (HNP1 to HNP3)/ml for 2 h. Blots were hybridized with probes specific for saeP and RNAIII (agr operon). For descriptions of sae transcripts T1 and T4 and probes, see Fig. 1A. In the lower lanes the 16S rRNA detected in the ethidium bromide-stained gels are indicated as loading controls.