FIG. 3.

sdrG transcript levels in S. epidermidis in vivo versus in vitro. Groups of five BALB/c mice were infected with S. epidermidis 0-47 by intraperitoneal injection. At 1 and 3 hours postinfection, the blood from five mice was pooled and the RNA isolated. The sdrG transcript level in the bacteria was measured by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR following in vitro growth at the time of challenge (T₀) and 1 h and 3 h after infection. Gene expression was assessed by the 2^−ΔΔCT method (17) using 16S rRNA to normalize. Values for fold increase in transcription represent the means from three independent experiments ± standard errors of the means.