Several lines of evidence including (i) the lack of N-WASP recruitment to the NpeA null mutant, (ii) complementation of NpeA with a NpeA variant that is unable to bind N-WASP does not rescue its defect, (iii) the direct interaction of N-WASP with NpeA, (iv) the association of N-WASP with Brucella early after infection, and (v) the dependence of the N-WASP/NpeA association on the NpeA GBD C-helix motif collectively suggest a role of NpeA in the early steps of the intracellular life cycle or the invasion process through the manipulation of N-WASP. The gene discussed is WASL; the disease is infection.