SPN and infection: Additionally, siRNA-mediated specific knock down of Gal8 in hBMECs (knock-down efficiency ~60%) (Fig 1G) resulted in significant decrease of LC3 association with WT SPN at 3 h p.i. (Fig 1H) and considerably improved intracellular recovery of the same following infection at both 6 and 12 h time points (Fig 1I).