Nuc promotes bacterial survival in a mouse model of peritonitis. Mice were infected intraperitoneally with ∼5 × 107 WT LAC or nuc mutant bacteria for 8 h. Peritoneum (A), kidney (B), and heart (C) bacterial burdens were enumerated. Data are from two separate experiments with seven or eight mice per group. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001 (determined by paired t test).