Pedro Escoll

@pescoll.bsky.social

How the metabolic crosstalk between pathogenic bacteria and host cells impacts infection? @pasteur.fr

New preprint in the lab! How the mitochondrial ETC works during infection of human macrophages with #Legionella or #Salmonella? Spoiler: there are some similarities and also pathogen-specific differences. Work led by Francisco Garcia and Paula Martínez, with @cbuch.bsky.social at @pasteur.fr

Figure 5. Working model for pathogen-specific ETC modulations that preserve the ∆ψm in hMDMs. (A) L. pneumophila: T4SS effectors dampen OxPhos early during
infection and preserve the ∆ψm by engaging the reverse mode of the FOF1 -ATPase. The ∆ψm remains high enough that ANT stays in forward mode, limiting cytosolic ATP
drain. All ETC complexes (I-IV) contribute to maintaining the ∆ψm. Complex I is uniquely essential during WT infection. (B) S. Typhimurium: T3SS SPI-1/2 effectors reduce
respiration and preserve the ∆ψm without inducing the reverse mode of the FO F1 -ATPase. Virulent bacteria rely on Complex I-driven electron entry with obligatory Complex
III/IV proton pumping, while Complex II contributes in all infection conditions. Secretion-defective mutants fail to establish the Complex I-dependent configuration.
bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Complex-I Preserves Mitochondrial Polarization during Infection of Human Macrophages by Secretion-competent Bacteria https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.04.674018v1

🦠 Mycobacteria aren't just tough, they're interior designers! 🦠 Check out our latest #preprint 🚨, led by our PhD student @camimille.bsky.social , where we show that #Mycobacterium tuberculosis builds secret cytoplasmic membranes to adapt its metabolism and sneak past immunity 🤫 Thread coming soon!

bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Nitrate-responsive Mycobacterial Intracytoplasmic Membranes dampen Inflammation during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.17.676823v1

New preprint in the lab! How the mitochondrial ETC works during infection of human macrophages with #Legionella or #Salmonella? Spoiler: there are some similarities and also pathogen-specific differences. Work led by Francisco Garcia and Paula Martínez, with @cbuch.bsky.social at @pasteur.fr

Figure 5. Working model for pathogen-specific ETC modulations that preserve the ∆ψm in hMDMs. (A) L. pneumophila: T4SS effectors dampen OxPhos early during
infection and preserve the ∆ψm by engaging the reverse mode of the FOF1 -ATPase. The ∆ψm remains high enough that ANT stays in forward mode, limiting cytosolic ATP
drain. All ETC complexes (I-IV) contribute to maintaining the ∆ψm. Complex I is uniquely essential during WT infection. (B) S. Typhimurium: T3SS SPI-1/2 effectors reduce
respiration and preserve the ∆ψm without inducing the reverse mode of the FO F1 -ATPase. Virulent bacteria rely on Complex I-driven electron entry with obligatory Complex
III/IV proton pumping, while Complex II contributes in all infection conditions. Secretion-defective mutants fail to establish the Complex I-dependent configuration.
bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · 11mo ago

Complex-I Preserves Mitochondrial Polarization during Infection of Human Macrophages by Secretion-competent Bacteria https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.04.674018v1

A Salmonella T3SS-2 mutant grows fine in spleen macrophages, contradicting tissue culture dogma (PMID: 23236281). This observation was largely ignored, but adding certain carbon sources rescues growth in cultured macrophages, hinting that T3SS-2 may be doing something entirely different in vivo.

Pedro Escoll@pescoll.bsky.social · last yr.

New pre-print in the lab! Beautiful work by Francisco Garcia-Rodriguez in collab with @kamovalenz.bsky.social and @joaquinbernal.bsky.social : when macrophages are provided with specific nutrients, Salmonella can bypass its requirement of the T3SS to replicate, a process that occurs within the SCV

New pre-print in the lab! Beautiful work by Francisco Garcia-Rodriguez in collab with @kamovalenz.bsky.social and @joaquinbernal.bsky.social : when macrophages are provided with specific nutrients, Salmonella can bypass its requirement of the T3SS to replicate, a process that occurs within the SCV

bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · last yr.

Provision of Preferred Nutrients to Macrophages Enables Salmonella to Replicate Intracellularly Without Relying on Type III Secretion Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.15.653970v1

New pre-print in the lab! Beautiful work by Francisco Garcia-Rodriguez in collab with @kamovalenz.bsky.social and @joaquinbernal.bsky.social : when macrophages are provided with specific nutrients, Salmonella can bypass its requirement of the T3SS to replicate, a process that occurs within the SCV

bioRxiv Microbiology@biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social · last yr.

Provision of Preferred Nutrients to Macrophages Enables Salmonella to Replicate Intracellularly Without Relying on Type III Secretion Systems https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.15.653970v1