Influence of bacterial proteins on the host’s cell cycle

Bacterial proteins released into the cellular microenvironment are increasingly recognized as pivotal modulators of host key signaling pathways, with significant implications for cellular functions. This review explores the multifaceted roles of such bacterial proteins, often functioning as virulence factors, in modulating the host cell cycle. By focusing on the interactions between selected bacterial proteins and essential components of the cell cycle machinery, we describe the mechanisms through which these interactions disrupt relevant cellular functions and contribute to disease development, with a particular focus on cancer.