Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Direct observation of polyhydroxyalkanoate chains by atomic force microscopy.

Kumar Sudesh, Zhihua Gan, Ken'ichiro Matsumot

    Ultramicroscopy
    |September 5, 2002
    PubMed
    Summary

    Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) chains form microfibrils in aqueous acetone, suggesting minimal entanglement during bacterial storage. This structure may arise from a unique biosynthesis pathway.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    A Peritoneum-Inspired Biomimetic Asymmetric Patch for Functional Repair and Anti-Adhesion in Abdominal Wall Defects.

    Advanced healthcare materials·2026
    Same author

    Nanoparticles-mediated dual metabolic-immunological intervention reverses immunosuppression in muscle invasive bladder cancer.

    Biomaterials·2026
    Same author

    Nano STING Agonist Inhibits Brain Metastases of Solid Tumors through Synergistic Chemotherapy, STING Activation, and Vascular Disruption.

    ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
    Same author

    NaGdF<sub>4</sub> Nanoprobe-Enhanced Multiparametric MRI for Evaluating Diabetes Mellitus-Associated Hepatic Dysfunction and Precancerous Biliary Transformation.

    ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026
    Same author

    Polyhydroxyalkanoate production from solid waste animal fat and biological downstream processing: A pilot-scale study.

    Bioresource technology·2026
    Same author

    Engineered Dual pH/GSH-Responsive Lignin-Based Nanocarriers for Enhanced Tumor Growth Inhibition.

    ACS applied bio materials·2026

    Area of Science:

    • Biomaterials Science
    • Microbiology
    • Polymer Chemistry

    Background:

    • Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are microbial polyesters used as bioplastics.
    • Understanding PHA storage within bacterial cells is crucial for optimizing production.
    • Previous studies suggest PHAs are stored in intracellular inclusions.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the structural organization of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) chains within bacterial inclusions.
    • To determine the state of PHA polymer chains upon isolation and evaporation of solvent.
    • To elucidate the potential implications of PHA chain organization on bacterial storage mechanisms.

    Main Methods:

    • Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in tapping mode was employed.
    • Freshly isolated PHA inclusions from recombinant bacteria were analyzed.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Samples were treated with aqueous acetone, followed by solvent evaporation.

    • Main Results:

    • Polymer chains, several micrometers long, were observed after aqueous acetone evaporation.
    • PHA chains appeared as fibrillar aggregates approximately 1 nm in height.
    • Microfibrils dissociated into finer strands (0.5 nm height) upon prolonged standing.

    Conclusions:

    • Biosynthesized PHA is likely stored in an amorphous state with minimal chain entanglement within inclusions.
    • PHA chains may exist as fibrillar aggregates, potentially due to a specialized biosynthesis mechanism.
    • This organization could facilitate efficient storage and retrieval of PHA within the bacterial cell.