Table 1. Bacterial strains and phage used in this study.

Strain/phage	Description or relevant genotype	Reference
Bacterial strains
UTI89	K1 Escherichia coli cystitis isolate	[49]
UTI89 ΔRegion I	Region I (kps) K1 capsule mutant	[28]
UTI89 ΔRegion II	Region II (neu) K1 capsule synthesis mutant	[28]
UTI89 Δ kpsM	K1 capsule export mutant	[28]
DS17	Escherichia coli K5 pyelonephritis isolate; K5 encapsulated, susceptible to K5 specific phage	[50]
EV36	K-12/K1 hybrid produced by conjugation with an Hfr kps + strain; K1 encapsulated, susceptible to K1-specific phage.	[51]
CFT073	K2 Escherichia coli urosepsis isolate	[52]
536	K15 Escherichia coli urinary tract isolate	[53]
Phage
T7 phage (T7φ)	Inhibited by K1 capsule	[54]
K1F phage (K1Fφ)	K1 capsule specific	[55]
K5 phage (K5φ)	K5 capsule specific	[56]