FIG 7.
PIA and bacterial chromosomal DNA promote cell aggregation in CDM. Wild-type SA564 cells containing pKM28 (PsarA-P1-icaADBC) or the vector-only control (pMRSI) were cultured in CDM lacking exogenous DNA. During exponential growth, a 1-ml sample of cells was mixed with purified genomic DNA from S. aureus LAC (A), Bacillus subtilis SMY (B), or Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (C), and a settling assay was performed. Data are plotted as the mean ± SEM values from at least three independent experiments. *, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001; ****, P < 0.0001 (by one-way ANOVA with Dunnett’s posttest comparing samples to SA564 + pMRSI [0 ng/ml DNA]).