The complexity of Rab5 to Rab7 transition guarantees specificity of pathogen subversion mechanisms

Abstract

Non-pathogenic bacteria are commonly eliminated by the host. Professional phagocytic cells of the immune system, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, recognize and by phagocytosis internalize microbes in specialized endocytic com-partments called phagosomes. By fusing with endosomes, phagosomes mature, changing from an early to late state, and early and late endosomes differ in their external and internal biochemical compo-sition. Then, fusion of late phagosomes with lysosomes leads to the formation of an acidic and degradative compart-ment, the phagolysosome, where bacteri