How pathogenic cytosol-dwelling bacteria escape from autophagy. (360G-Wellcome-104752_Z_14_Z)

Certain pathogenic bacteria can infect and live inside human cells. Most intracellular bacteria dwell inside membrane-surrounded vacuoles. Our group has discovered defense mechanisms in human cells that prevent the escape of bacteria from their vacuoles into the host cytosol. These defense mechanisms are very effective as only a handful of clinically relevant bacteria are able to conquer the cytosol. New work will investigate how cytosol-dwelling bacteria avoid detection and whether cellular def enses can be redirected against them.