Figure 4. The Cmv1^r locus of the natural killer cell complex is linked to within-host competition.

Congenic BALB.B6-Cmv1^r (Cmv1^r) or B6.BALB.TC1 (TC1) mice were inoculated i.p. with 1×10⁴ pfu of either C4A or C4C (closed symbols) or co-infected with a total of 1×10⁴ pfu of C4A and C4C (half filled diamonds - plaque assay or open symbols – strain specific PCR). B6 or BALB/c mice were co-infected with 1×10⁴ pfu of C4A and C4C (open symbols). Viral replication was assessed by plaque assay at day 18 p.i. Strain specific replication was assessed by qPCR. A. Total viral loads in the salivary glands of Cmv1^r mice infected with C4A, C4C or C4A and C4C (half filled diamonds-Mix). B. DNA levels in the salivary glands of single strain infected Cmv1^r mice from Fig. 4A. C. Viral DNA levels in the salivary glands of multi-strain infected Cmv1^r mice from Fig. 4A. D. Viral DNA levels in the salivary glands of multi-strain infected BALB/c mice. Note competition was not seen in BALB/c mice, with both C4A and C4C equally well represented in the salivary glands. However, in Ly49H⁺ BALB/c background mice (Cmv1^r), C4A was excluded from the salivary glands during multi-strain infection. E. Total viral loads in the salivary glands of TC1 mice infected with C4A, C4C or C4A and C4C (half filled diamonds-Mix). F. DNA levels in the salivary glands of single strain infected TC1 mice from Fig. 4E. G. Viral DNA levels in the salivary glands of multi-strain infected TC1 mice from Fig. 4E. H. Viral DNA levels in the salivary glands of multi-strain infected B6 mice. Note competition was not seen in Ly49H⁻ B6 background TC1 mice, with both C4A and C4C equally well represented in the salivary glands. However, C4A was undetectable in the salivary glands of co-infected B6 mice. The x-axis represents the limit of detection for plaque assays (100 pfu/g of tissue) and the multiplex qPCR (1×10⁴ copy number/g of tissue), n = 5–6 mice per group.