The late endosomal adaptor p14 is a macrophage host-defense factor against Salmonella infection.

The outcome of an infection depends on the balance between host resistance and bacterial virulence. Here, we show that the late endosomal adaptor p14 (also known as LAMTOR2) is one of the components for cellular host defense against the intracellular pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. During Salmonella infection, the complex of p14 and MP1 is required for the accurately timed transport of Salmonella through the endolysosomal system. Loss of p14 opens a time window that allows Salmonella to populate a replication niche, in which early and late antimicrobial effector systems, comprising NADPH phagocytic oxidase and inducible nitric oxide synthase, respectively, are inappropriately activated. Thus, p14 supports the accurate transport of Salmonella through the endolysosomal system, thereby limiting bacterial replication in both, professional phagocytes and in non-phagocytic cells in vitro, and helps mice to successfully battle Salmonella infection in vivo.