FIG 2.

Intracellular bacterial pathogens hijack host cell mechanics to spread from cell to cell. (A) L. monocytogenes InlC interacts with host cell Tuba to reduce cortical tension and with components of the exocyst pathway to reduce plasma membrane tension at cell-cell interfaces, facilitating bacterial cell-to-cell spread. Inspired by reference 11. (B) S. flexneri IpaC interacts with β-catenin at cell-cell junctions, loosening them to facilitate bacterial intercellular spread. (C) R. parkeri Sca4 competes with α-catenin for vinculin binding to reduce mechanotransduction at the cell-cell junction, thus promoting bacterial intercellular spread. Inspired by reference 9. Note that drawings are not to scale.