Pathogenic rickettsiae encode a secreted lipase that facilitates intracytosolic colonization in host cells
Fig 5
Working model for RLip facilitating pathogenic rickettsiae intracellular survival.
Expression of RLip is low during the cell-free stage, while rapidly induced as soon as the bacteria encounters the host cell. Upon host cell invasion, RLip is predominately released into the host cytoplasm, while minimally retained by the bacteria itself. Our findings suggest that RLip plays an important role in the phagosomal escape of pathogenic Rickettsia species into the host cell cytoplasm to facilitate the establishment of a replication niche.