Tn-seq analysis of the ability of sRNA mutants to survive in different host niches.

Transposon mutant libraries were used to determine the ability of sRNAs to survive when inoculated into the nasopharynx or lung or to establish bacteremia in the blood following intraperitoneal injection of bacteria. Fitness value of 1.0 indicates no fitness benefit or defect compared to TIGR4. Values <1.0 indicate a fitness defect in the respective model while values >1.0 indicate a relative fitness benefit. When no mutants were present in the input pool, the sRNA was eliminated from the analysis while a fitness value of 0 indicated a mutant which was present in the input sample but was not recovered in the output pool.