FIG 1.

Effect of rpiRc mutation on transcription of RNAIII (A) and genes encoding the virulence determinants alpha-toxin (B), protein A (C), and capsule (D) throughout the growth cycle. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analyses of total RNA isolated from S. aureus strain SA564, isogenic single mutants of acnA, agr, mgrA, sarA, and sigB (black bars), and their respective rpiRc double mutants (white bars) cultivated for the indicated times were performed. The relative transcript levels of target genes were normalized to gyrB and 16S rRNA. Shown are the mean and standard deviation (SD) for at least three independent experiments performed in duplicate.