abstract
- To cause disease, bacterial pathogens must first breach physical barriers, such as the mucous membrane that lines organs, and then successfully replicate and disseminate while avoiding destruction by the immune system. Many bacterial pathogens accomplish this by secreting proteins into their host environment, which act to subvert or dampen the expanding immune response. Here, we discuss how bacterial pathogens use an arsenal of secreted virulence proteins to modify the outcome of innate immune activation by altering how the immune system recognizes microbial invaders.