Figure 3. Replicative life span appears to be regulated in phenotypic switch variants.
(A) RLS of the hypervirulent variant (MC) was significantly shortened compared with the parent type (SM) of a serotype D strain RC-2. This RLS was not recovered when MC was reverted back to SM. (B) RLS of the hypervirulent variant (C) was significantly shortened compared with the parent type (S) of a serotype A strain SB4. This RLS was not recovered when C was reverted to S.
C: Serrated; MC: Mucoid; RLS: Replicative life span; S: Smooth; SM: Smooth.