VTN and infection: The interaction of rGrpE with ECM components, such as fibronectin, collagen IV, laminin, and vitronectin, was dose dependent, which indicated the multifaceted role of rGrpE in facilitating adherence to host cells and enhancing the survival and persistence of M. bovis within the host, which aligns with previous data that support the idea that bacteria often exploit ECM components to establish infections [11, 28, 31].