Figure 5

(A) Effect of bilE on the gastrointestinal persistence of Bifidobacterium breve bilE⁺ (black circles) and Bifidobacterium breve bilE^- (white circles) were used for peroral inoculation of female BALB/c mice (n = 5). Bifidobacterium breve counts were determined in stools at 48 hour intervals. (B) At day 19 mice were sacrificed and Bifidobacterium breve harbouring bilE (black bars) were recovered at significantly higher numbers in the intestines and caeca than the controls (white). *; P < 0.01, **, P < 0.001.