Table 2.

qPCR settings and relative transcript abundance

Target gene	Primer sequence (5′-3′) a	Product size (bp)	PCR efficiency	Expression ratio b
spxB	fwd: TACCGGAAACTGCTTGGTATC	155	1.93	8.97
	rev: CTGGAAAACCGCATCTTTGT
ulaE	fwd: CACTAGCCAAATCAATCGCC	90	2.05	5.78
	rev: GCCATCGTCGGTTTCCATTA
xfp	fwd: CGTGAAGAAGGCGATATC	215	2.01	5.98
	rev: TTCCAAGTCCACTCCTGA
16S rDNA	fwd: GCYTAACACATGCAAGTCGA	500	1.85	/
	rev: GTATTACCGCGGCTGCTGG

^aPrimer sets were designed based on the sequences of cDNA-AFLP fragments. Primers for 16S rDNA gene were designed as reported by Giraffa et al. [24].

^bTarget gene expression was calculated relative to 16S rDNA as a reference gene using the efficiency-corrected ΔΔC_T method [23]. The relative expression ratios in CB compared to MRS are shown.