FIG 6.

ΔhupY mutants in both GAS and GBS are impaired in the ability to colonize the murine vaginal tract. WT and isogenic ΔhupY mutants in GAS (A) or GBS (B) were used to colonize the murine vaginal tract. In both cases, the GAS hupY gene was used to complement the mutant strains. Both NZ131 ΔhupY and A909 ΔhupY mutants were attenuated for vaginal colonization compared to WT GAS and GBS, and both mutants were able to be at least partially complemented by the addition of GAS hupY on a plasmid. Statistical significance was assessed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test; the asterisk indicates significance (P < 0.05). n.s., not significant.