In contrast to reported infection of epithelial cells with Y. pseudotuberculosis [17], we observed a very low incidence in the association between live or killed Y. pestis with LC3 during early stages of macrophage infection (Fig 5B and 5C) and this association was not significantly altered in Rab1b siRNA treated cells (~20% association in all samples). This evidence concerns the gene MAP1LC3A and infection.