To determine whether the failure of PA14 gacA, PA14 lasR, and PA14 rhlR mutants to downregulate immune gene expression is a consequence of a low inoculum in the intestine, we compared the expression of thn-2, lys-7, and spp-1 in the C. elegans tnt-3(aj3) mutant following infection with the wildtype PA14, PA14 gacA, PA14 lasR, and PA14 rhlR strains. This evidence concerns the gene SPP1 and infection.