FIG. 1.

Unencapsulated UPEC has neutrophil-dependent and -independent fitness defects. (A) Organization of the capsule gene locus. Region I genes encode capsule assembly and export factors. Region II encodes synthesis factors. Region III products are involved in capsule export. Region I interruption (strain UTI89 kpsF::EP185) is designated by the upward-pointing arrow. Deletions of region I (Δkps) and region II (Δneu) used in later experiments are indicated by lines below the diagram. (B and C) CFU counts of isolates UTI89 (WT; closed squares) and UTI89 kpsF:: EP185 (open triangles) in infected bladders at time points between 6 h and 2 weeks in female C3H/HeN (TLR4⁺) and C3H/HeJ (TLR4⁻) mice, respectively. Horizontal lines indicate the median values for the groups. P values were calculated using the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test.