FIG 1.

Fibrinogen-binding properties of S. mutans cells. (A) Rate of binding in S. mutans clinical strains with various expression patterns of CBP and PA. Each closed circle represents the mean value of each bacterial strain. Horizontal bars indicate the mean values of the group. There were significant differences, which were determined using the Student t test. *, P < 0.05. (B) Rates of binding of Cbm⁺/PA⁻ or Cnm⁺/PA⁻ strains and their cbm- or cnm-inactivated mutant strains. (C) Rates of binding in Cbm-positive SA31, its cbm-inactivated mutant (SA31CBD), and its complemented mutant (SA31comp). There were significant differences, which were determined using the Student t test. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01. Bars in panels B and C represent standard deviations.