Microbial strategies to exploit host cells.

The article presents information related to the European Research Conference on Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of the Endomembrane System, which was held in San Feliu de Guixols, Spain, from October 16-21, 2004. The conference System' combined the best of both worlds at the intersection where intracellular pathogens and host cells meet. Several talks focused on the molecular mechanisms of multivesicular endosome formation and sorting. Interesting new data were presented on the fate of pathogens and toxins in the endosomal pathway. In this collection of excellent talks, the remarkable interactions between microbes and their host cells provided new insights into eukaryotic cell biology.