For Legionella bacteria, taking over a cell means playing by its rules

When it comes to invading healthy cells, Legionella bacteria rely on blending in rather than breaking in. New research from Van Andel Institute scientists demonstrates how a protein produced by Legionella mimics the behavior of the host cell's own proteins. This mechanism allows the protein, RomA, to change how the host's genes are regulated and create conditions that help the bacteria survive and multiply.