Autophagy: a pathogen driven process

Host cell recognition and eradication of invading pathogens is crucial for the control of microbial infections. However, several microorganisms develop tactics that allow them to survive intracellularly. Autophagy, a process involved in protein turnover and in charge of the removal of aged organelles by degradation of engulfed cytoplasmic portions, was recently shown to play a clear role in the detection and elimination of intracellular pathogens. Yet, some pathogens employ elegant strategies to elude entrapment in autophagosomes, and thus to avoid lysosomal degradation, whereas others utilize the autophagy pathway for their own benefit. In this review some recent findings on the relationship between microorganisms and autophagy are summarized, the underlying assumption being that intracellular infection models may contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the autophagic process.