EndoD and SpGH92 contribute to virulence in a mouse model of pneumonia and sepsis.

<p>Cohorts of mice were infected intranasally with either parental TIGR4 Sm^r, Δ<i>endoD</i>, Δ<i>ngtS-P1-P2</i>, Δ<i>endoD</i> Δ<i>ngtS-P1-P2</i>, Δ<i>gh92</i> or a genetically reconstituted strain, and monitored for survival time and bacterial counts in blood. (A) Median survival times of mice infected with parental TIGR4 Sm^r, deletion mutants of <i>endoD</i> and/or <i>ngtS-P1-P2</i>, and genetically reconstituted strains. Symbols indicate the time that individual mice became severely lethargic and were euthanized; horizontal bars indicate the median survival time (experiment length, and therefore maximum survival time, was 168 hours). (B) Mean bacterial counts in blood 24 and 48 h post-infection with parental TIGR4 Sm^r, deletion mutants of <i>endoD</i> and/or <i>ngtS-P1-P2</i>, and genetically reconstituted strains. Error bars represent the SEM. (C) Median survival times of mice infected with parental TIGR4 Sm^r, Δ<i>gh92</i> and its genetically reconstituted strain. Symbols and bars are the same as in (A). (D) Mean bacterial counts in blood 24 and 36 h post-infection with parental TIGR4 Sm^r, Δ<i>gh92</i> and its genetically reconstituted strain. Error bars represent the SEM. In all panels, asterisks indicate the level of statistical significance between medians/means when compared with the parental TIGR4 Sm^r-infected cohort (* indicates p<0.05, ** indicates p<0.01, *** indicates p<0.001 and **** indicates p<0.0001).