FIG 8 .

Model of the biogenesis of the Yersinia-containing vacuole (YCV). Y. pestis engages the host endosome recycling pathway by recruiting Rab GTPases to the YCV in order to generate a protective replicative niche in a two-step process. First, Rab1b and Rab4a are recruited to the YCV, which is required for the bacterium to inhibit phagosome acidification and fusion with the lysosome. While these two Rab proteins are eventually lost from the YCV, Rab11b is retained on the YCV over the entire course of infection. Retention of Rab11b leads to a global inhibition of host recycling, which is required for Y. pestis to replicate in macrophages. Rab4, Rab11, and Rab1b proteins are shown in the figure as gray circles labeled 4, 11, and 1B, respectively.