Table 1 List of strains and plasmids used in this study.

Streptococcus suis

 P1/7

Virulent serotype 2 ST1 strain isolated from a case of pig meningitis in the United Kingdom

[26]

 P1/7 ΔltaS

Isogenic mutant derived from P1/7; in frame deletion of ltaS gene

This study

 P1/7 ΔcpsF

Isogenic mutant derived from P1/7; in frame deletion of cpsF

[5]

Escherichia coli

 TOP10

F⁻ mrcA Δ(mrr-hsdRMS-mcrBC) φ80 lacZΔM15 ΔlacX74 recA1 araD139 Δ(araleu) 7697 galU galK rpsL (Str^R) endA1 nupG

Invitrogen

Plasmids

 pCR2.1

Ap^r, Km^r, pUC ori, lacZΔM15

Invitrogen

 pSET4s

Spc^r, pUC ori, thermosensitive pG + host3 ori, lacZΔM15

[27]