The analysis of host-pathogen interaction and its molecular mechanisms is essential to develop strategies to fight and protect against infections in both animal and plants. Recent studies along these lines have also allowed us to further our understanding of host processes, and have even led to the identification of new ones. Animal and plant bacterial pathogens share common strategies to colonise and proliferate the host. One of the most important of them is the capacity to inject bacterial proteins (effectors) directly into the host cell cytosol. These effector proteins alter a wide range of host cell processes in order to support the survival and proliferation of the pathogen, and thus the development of the infection. In Gram- bacteria secretion of virulence-specific effectors is mainly carried out by type III secretion systems (TTSS). TTSS are essential for the development of some of the most clinically and economically relevant diseases that bacteria cause in animal and plants. |