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

A nutrient uptake role for bacterial cell envelope extensions.

Jennifer K Wagner1, Sima Setayeshgar, Laura A Sharon

  • 1Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|July 25, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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

Single-Cell Probing of Nanoscale Bacterial Adhesion in Real-Time Using Optical Tweezers.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

The FlEye camera: Sampling the joint distribution of natural scenes and motion.

Physical review. E·2026
Same author

eConsent vs traditional consent among prospective biobank participants: a randomized study within a study trial.

npj digital public health·2026
Same author

Digital Twins in Translational Research and Health Care: An Anthropological Perspective.

Ethics & human research·2026
Same author

<i>In situ</i> architecture of the Tad pilus machine in <i>Caulobacter crescentus</i>.

mBio·2026
Same author

A minimal model for the role of Rim4 in regulating meiotic exit in budding yeast.

Molecular biology of the cell·2026
Same journal

Chemotactic self-organization captures the dynamics of mammalian hair follicle patterning.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Tomographic imaging of superconducting order using particle-hole interference.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Inhibitory potential of autologous neutralizing antibodies sets quantitative limits on the rebound-competent HIV-1 reservoir.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Inferring epidemiological parameters under an infectious phylogeography model with visitor dynamics.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Analytical modeling for suction cup designs for skin-interfaced wearable devices.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Improving cell-free metabolism through direct integration of artificial respiratory chains.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
See all related articles

The Caulobacter crescentus stalk facilitates phosphate uptake and hydrolysis in nutrient-poor environments. Its unique shape maximizes nutrient contact while minimizing cell volume, offering a biophysical advantage.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics

Background:

  • Bacterial morphology is diverse, yet its link to cellular functions is unclear.
  • Caulobacter crescentus possesses a unique stalk (prostheca) structure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the function of the C. crescentus stalk in nutrient acquisition.
  • To understand the biophysical advantages of the stalk morphology in oligotrophic environments.

Main Methods:

  • Cell envelope analysis
  • Protein localization studies (PstS, PstA)
  • Analytical modeling of diffusion and surface area-to-volume ratios.

Main Results:

  • The stalk can uptake and hydrolyze organic phosphate, containing the PstS protein.

Related Experiment Videos

  • High-affinity phosphate transport (PstA) occurs in the cell body, not the stalk.
  • Analytical models show the stalk's long, thin shape is advantageous for nutrient uptake in diffusion-limited conditions.

    • Conclusions:

    • The C. crescentus stalk plays a role in periplasmic nutrient processing and binding.
    • Stalk morphology provides a significant biophysical advantage for survival in oligotrophic habitats.