Pathogenic bacteria for human and animals have developed sophisticated weapons, termed virulence factors, to ensure their replication and persistence into their hosts. The authors in this volume show a synthesis on how the various host cellular Rho GTPases activities are manipulated by bacteria to fulfil their virulence.

Foreword.- Bacterial Virulence strategies that utilize Rho GTPases.- Extracellular bacterial pathogens and small GTPases of the Rho family, an unexpected combination.- Triggered phagocytosis by Salmonella: bacterial molecular mimicry of Rho GTPase activation/deactivation.- Regulation of actin dynamics during phagocytosis by Rho GTPases.- The immunological synapse and Rho GTPases.- Rho GTPases and the control of the oxidative burst in polymorphonuclear leukocytes.- Clostridial Rho-inhibiting protein toxins.- The type III cytotoxins of yersinia and pseudomonas aeruginosa that modulate the actin cytoskeleton.- Subject index