Previously, we demonstrated that Cas2 encoded within the CRISPR-Cas locus of
Legionella pneumophila
strain 130b promotes the ability of the
Legionella
pathogen to infect amoebal hosts. Given that
L. pneumophila
Cas2 has RNase activity, we posited that the cytoplasmic protein is regulating the expression of another
Legionella
gene(s) that fosters intracellular infection.