The changing nature of the B rucella ‐containing vacuole

Summary Bacteria of the genus B rucella are intracellular vacuolar pathogens of mammals that cause the worldwide zoonosis brucellosis, and reside within phagocytes of infected hosts to promote their survival, persistence and proliferation. These traits are essential to the bacterium's ability to cause disease and have been the subject of much investigation to gain an understanding of B rucella pathogenic mechanisms. Although the endoplasmic reticulum‐derived nature of the B rucella replicative niche has been long known, major strides have recently been made in deciphering the molecular mechanisms of its biogenesis, including the identification of bacterial determinants and host cellular pathways involved in this process. Here I will review and discuss the most recent advances in our knowledge of B rucella intracellular pathogenesis, with an emphasis on bacterial exploitation of the host endoplasmic reticulum‐associated functions, and how autophagy‐related processes contribute to the bacterium's intracellular cycle.