Given the previously established suitability of the SCID (severe combined immunedeficient) mouse infection model for distinguishing attenuatedΔESX-1 (ΔRD1) and virulent WT M. tuberculosisstrains33, 37, 38, the potential impact of PLC-inactivationon virulence of M. tuberculosis was first assessed by testing the invivo growth characteristics of ΔPLC and WT M.tuberculosis strains in SCID mice. Here, HSPG2 is linked to infection.