FIG 3.

Mucin adhesion profile of E. faecalis SDP mutants. (A) Suspensions of WT E. faecalis (OG1RF) as well as of the isogenic ΔsrtA mutant and mutants lacking one or more SDPs, including the quadruple Δ4SDP mutant (IB15) grown at 37°C, were allowed to bind to mucin-coated wells; unbound cells were washed with PBS. Bound bacteria were observed by microscopy and enumerated. Numbers of counted cells were plotted relative to the WT strain. Average numbers of cells for 9 fields representing 3 biological replicates are shown. The number of bound cells for each strain is represented as a percentage relative to bound WT cells. (B) The mucin adhesion assay was performed, as described in the panel A legend, for the WT strain or the ΔsrtA mutant carrying the empty expression vector pJRG8 or expressing srtA. Values shown originated from the average counts of 9 fields representing 3 biological replicates for each strain. (C) The mucin binding assay was performed as described for panel A but using bacteria grown at 46°C. Values shown originated from the average counts of 9 fields representing 3 biological replicates for each strain. Statistical significance was evaluated by t test. **, P < 0.001; ***, P < 0.0001 (versus WT).