Emerging insights into bacterial deubiquitinases

Bacterial pathogens utilize eukaryotic cellular systems in various ways for their own benefits. To counteract host immune responses and survive in cells, bacteria modify host signaling pathways. For this aim, they have evolved virulence secretion systems. Bacteria-encoded effector proteins delivered via these secretion systems are the key players in bacterial pathogenesis. Ubiquitination is a post-translational modification that governs eukaryotic cellular systems. Recent studies have revealed that many bacterial effector proteins target the host ubiquitin system, often acting as ubiquitin-modulating enzymes such as ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases. Emerging lines of evidence have unveiled the diversity of bacterial deubiquitinases and have provided insights into the bacterial strategy to exploit the host ubiquitin system.