ATG16L1 and infection: Following invasion, the infection of epithelial cells is characterized by a loss of epithelial integrity associated with the death of host cells invaded by C. albicans invasion.53 This cell death is potentially attributed to plasma membrane damage caused by mechanical elongation of invading hyphae and the expression of C. albicans virulence factors such as the Saps proteases and/or the candidalysin toxin.38,53,54 Therefore, we tested whether ATG16L1-deficient cells were more sensitive to C. albicans-induced cell death.