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 Concept Videos

Cell Size01:22

Cell Size

Cell sizes vary widely among and within organisms. Bacterial cells range between 1-10 micrometers (μm)and are considerably smaller than most eukaryotic cells. The smallest bacteria are 0.1 μm in diameter—about a thousand times smaller than eukaryotic cells, which typically range from 10-100 μm.Surface AreaCells can take in nutrients and water via diffusion through the plasma membrane itself or through specific channels in the membrane. The area of the membrane surrounding the cells limits the...
Prokaryotic Cells01:51

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains—Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common organisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins. However,...
Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
Prokaryotic Cells01:28

Prokaryotic Cells

Prokaryotes are small unicellular organisms that include the domains — Archaea and Bacteria. Bacteria include many common microorganisms, such as Salmonella and E. coli, while the Archaea include extremophiles that live in harsh environments, such as volcanic springs.
Like eukaryotic cells, all prokaryotic cells are surrounded by a plasma membrane, have genetic material in the form of single, circular DNA, a cytoplasm that fills the interior of the cell, and ribosomes that synthesize proteins.
Multi-pass Transmembrane Proteins and β-barrels01:09

Multi-pass Transmembrane Proteins and β-barrels

In multi-pass transmembrane proteins, the polypeptide chain crosses the membrane more than once. The transmembrane polypeptide chain either forms an α-helix or β-strand structure. α-Helix containing multi-pass transmembrane proteins are ubiquitous, whereas β-strand containing ones are mainly found in gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
α-Helix containing multi-pass transmembrane proteins
Multi-pass transmembrane proteins such as G-protein-linked receptors (GPCRs) and...
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria01:30

Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria

Coryneform bacteria are gram-positive, aerobic, nonmotile rods that exhibit irregular, club-shaped, or V-shaped arrangements. Their V-shape results from snapping division, where the inner cell wall layer forms the cross-wall, while the outer layer remains intact until it ruptures on one side, causing the daughter cells to bend away.The primary genera are Corynebacterium and Arthrobacter. Corynebacterium includes diverse species, ranging from saprophytes to pathogens like Corynebacterium...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Achievement of Target Gain Larger than Unity in an Inertial Fusion Experiment.

Physical review letters·2024
Same author

Lawson Criterion for Ignition Exceeded in an Inertial Fusion Experiment.

Physical review letters·2022
Same author

Microbubble intensification of bioprocessing.

Advances in microbial physiology·2021
Same author

Gene-specific expression and calcium activation of Arabidopsis thaliana phospholipase C isoforms.

The New phytologist·2021
Same author

Fungal growth on buckminstedullerene.

Microbiology (Reading, England)·2021
Same author

A novel method for calculating beta band burst durations in Parkinson's disease using a physiological baseline.

Journal of neuroscience methods·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media
14:25

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Published on: May 3, 2010

Big bacteria pass through very small holes.

M Wainwright1, A Al Talhi, D J Gilmour

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK. m.wainwright@Sheffield.ac.uk

Medical Hypotheses
|September 27, 2002
PubMed
Summary

Common bacteria, larger than 0.2 micrometers, can unexpectedly pass through 0.2 micrometer membranes. This repeatable finding suggests bacteria

More Related Videos

Analyzing the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Microbial Traversal through Microvascular Endothelial Cells
06:26

Analyzing the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Microbial Traversal through Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Published on: February 14, 2020

3D Printing Bacteria to Study Motility and Growth in Complex 3D Porous Media
05:46

3D Printing Bacteria to Study Motility and Growth in Complex 3D Porous Media

Published on: January 19, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media
14:25

Window on a Microworld: Simple Microfluidic Systems for Studying Microbial Transport in Porous Media

Published on: May 3, 2010

Analyzing the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Microbial Traversal through Microvascular Endothelial Cells
06:26

Analyzing the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier by Microbial Traversal through Microvascular Endothelial Cells

Published on: February 14, 2020

3D Printing Bacteria to Study Motility and Growth in Complex 3D Porous Media
05:46

3D Printing Bacteria to Study Motility and Growth in Complex 3D Porous Media

Published on: January 19, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogen Research
  • Membrane Science

Background:

  • Bacteria are typically considered larger than 0.2 micrometers.
  • Understanding bacterial translocation across filters is crucial for infection control and diagnostics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the ability of normal-sized bacteria to traverse 0.2 micrometer pores.
  • To determine the mechanism and repeatability of bacterial passage through small membrane holes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized 0.2 micrometer nylon membranes.
  • Observed common, potentially pathogenic bacteria crossing from a surface to a solid medium.
  • Verified bacterial size and morphology post-translocation.

Main Results:

  • Potentially pathogenic bacteria, nominally larger than 0.2 micrometers, consistently crossed 0.2 micrometer nylon membranes.
  • All observed bacteria translocated from the upper surface to the lower solid medium.
  • Bacterial size and morphology remained normal after membrane passage, irrespective of membrane brand.

Conclusions:

  • Common bacteria possess the ability to pass through 0.2 micrometer pores.
  • This finding has significant implications for understanding bacterial pathogenesis and infection spread.
  • The consistent and repeatable nature of this phenomenon warrants further investigation into the underlying mechanisms.