KITLG and infection: Although it remains to be demonstrated whether O. tsutsugamushi Ank proteins perturb various cellular processes by downregulating host EF1α, conserved targeting and subsequent degradation of EF1α by multiple O. tsutsugamushi Ank proteins via linkage to the SCF ubiquitin ligase complex could be a novel strategy for bacterial replication and/or pathogenesis during mammalian host infection.