Effect of peptidoglycan modifying enzymes PgdA and Adr on relative fitness during murine colonization in the presence and absence of lysozyme M.

<p>LysM^+/+ and LysM^−/− mice were challenged with equal inocula of the wild-type (WT) strain or revertant and the defined mutant indicated, and the density of each strain was determined in upper respiratory tract lavages 3 days post-inoculation. Each symbol represents the competitive index value for an individual animal. The competitive index was calculated based on the ratio of mutant to WT bacteria in nasal lavages compared to the ratio of mutant to WT bacteria in the inoculum. The dotted line is at a value of one; a value greater than one indicates the mutant out-competes the WT, a value less than or equal to one indicates the WT out-competes the mutant. A) <i>pgdAadr</i> vs. WT (^*** p = 0.001). B) <i>pgdAadr</i> vs. the revertant (<i>pgdA+ adr+</i>) (^** p = 0.004). C) <i>pgdA</i> vs. WT. D) <i>adr</i> vs. WT.