Salmonella Typhimurium Is the Causative Agent of Typhoid Fever, and Infects

Salmonella typhimurium is the causative agent of typhoid fever, and infects the host by translocating across the intestinal epithelium. Recent studies have shown that S. typhimurium produces an effector protein called SopB that induces intestinal enterocytes to differentiate into M cells. This is beneficial to the bacteria because:

A) S. typhimurium gains access to the host by crossing the intestinal epithelium inside M cells.
B) M cells are unable to secrete antimicrobial peptides as do the enterocytes.
C) M cells are unable to secrete mucus as do the enterocytes.
D) S. typhimurium utilizes the M cell metabolic machinery for its proliferation.
E) M cells lack the pattern recognition receptors that induce innate responses to pathogens.