Expression from an integrating vector results in the highest and most stable bioluminescent signal.

<p>To study the effect of copy number on light production each reporter was cloned into standard (pSMT3), high (pSMT3M), and single copy number (pMV306hsp) vectors. Luminescence was measured for 10 independent <i>M. smegmatis</i> transformants each carrying the FFluc (<b>a</b>), Gluc (<b>b</b>) and Lux (<b>c</b>) constructs. Results are given as relative light units (RLUs) and are corrected for the background. Overall differences between groups were assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric test with differences between subgroups assessed by Dunn's multiple comparisons test and those found to be significant (p&lt;0.01) are indicated with *.