20Histophilus somni survives intracellularly in professional phagocytic cells, but the 21 mechanism of intracellular survival is not understood. The Fic motif within the DR1/DR2 IbpA 22 fibrillar network protein of H. somni is cytotoxic to epithelial and phagocytic cells, which may 23 interfere with the bactericidal activity of these cells. To determine the contribution of IbpA and 24Fic on resistance to host defenses, strains and mutants that lack all of or a small region of ibpA or 25 DR1/DR2 were tested for survival in bovine monocytic cells and for serum susceptibility. A 26 mutant lacking IbpA, but not DR1/DR2, was more susceptible to killing by antiserum than the 27 parent. H. somni strains expressing IbpA replicated in bovine monocytes for at least 72 hours, 28 and were toxic for these cells. Virulent strain 2336 with transposon insertions or deletions within 29IbpA remained toxic for bovine monocytes. However, strain 2336 mutants lacking all of ibpA or 30 both DR1/DR2 were not toxic to the monocytes, but survived within the monocytes for at least 31 72 hours. Examination of intracellular trafficking of H. somni with monoclonal antibodies to 32 early and late phagosomal markers indicated that early phagosomal marker EEA-1 colocalized 33 with both disease isolate strain 2336 and serum-sensitve mucosal isolate strain 129Pt, but only 34 strain 2336 did not co-localize with late lysosomal marker LAMP-2 and prevented acidification 35 of phagosomes. These results indicate that virulent isolates of H. somni are capable of surviving 36 within phagocytic cells through interference of phagosome-lysosome maturation. Therefore, H. 37 somni may be considered a permissive intracellular pathogen. 38 3 39