Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Gene Regulation in Microbial Communities: Quorum Sensing

Quorum sensing is a mechanism of bacterial communication that enables coordinated gene expression in response to changes in population density. This facilitates collective behaviors that enhance survival, resource acquisition, and ecological adaptation. This process relies on small signaling molecules called autoinducers that accumulate as bacterial populations grow. When a critical threshold concentration of autoinducers is reached, bacterial cells collectively modify gene expression,...

Transduction

Transduction

Among the three main modes of HGT—transformation, conjugation, and transduction—transduction is unique in that it is mediated by bacteriophages, or bacterial viruses.Transduction occurs in two ways. Generalized transduction occurs during the lytic cycle of a bacteriophage infection. In this process, bacteriophages infect bacterial cells, replicate within them, and ultimately cause cell lysis, releasing newly assembled virions. Occasionally, random fragments of the bacterial genome are...

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes

Microorganisms evolve rapidly due to their large population sizes and short generation times, often exhibiting measurable changes within days under laboratory conditions. Natural selection acts on standing genetic variation, enabling the retention and amplification of beneficial traits that confer fitness advantages in changing environments.Adaptive Pigment Regulation in RhodobacterIn Rhodobacter, a genus of purple non-sulfur bacteria, light-harvesting pigments such as bacteriochlorophyll and...

Bacterial Toxins

Bacterial Toxins

Bacterial toxins are sophisticated virulence factors that enable pathogenic bacteria to interact with, invade, and damage host tissues. These toxins fall broadly into two types: protein exotoxins, which are secreted into the environment and target specific host receptors, and lipopolysaccharide endotoxins, which are structural components of the bacterial outer membrane released primarily during bacterial lysis or membrane shedding. Exotoxins generally act more selectively, binding to cell...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Determination of quarantine period in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed with pig (Sus sp.) offal to assure compliance with halal standards.

Food chemistry·2012

Same author

Significance of the rdar and bdar morphotypes in the hydrophobicity and attachment to abiotic surfaces of Salmonella Sofia and other poultry-associated Salmonella serovars.

Letters in applied microbiology·2011

Same author

CsgA production by Escherichia coli O157:H7 alters attachment to abiotic surfaces in some growth environments.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2011

Same author

Relative prevalence of Salmonella Sofia on broiler chickens pre- and postprocessing in Australia.

Poultry science·2010

Same author

Attachment of different Salmonella serovars to materials commonly used in a poultry processing plant.

Food microbiology·2009

Same author

Influence of different carbon sources on bacterial cellulose production by Gluconacetobacter xylinus strain ATCC 53524.

Journal of applied microbiology·2009

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 5, 2026

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice

Published on: July 25, 2017

Bacteriocins: ecological and evolutionary significance.

¹Gary Dykes is at the Dept of Microbiology, University of the Witwatersrand, PO WITS 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|January 18, 2011

Summary

Bacteriocins, natural antimicrobial compounds, are gaining attention as food preservatives. Research is exploring their ecological roles and evolutionary significance, alongside resistance mechanisms.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biochemistry
Food Science

Background:

Bacteriocins are bacterial-derived antimicrobial peptides with a long history of study.
Recent interest is driven by their potential as natural food preservatives.
Research is expanding beyond molecular aspects to ecological and evolutionary roles.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight the growing importance of bacteriocins.
To explore their ecological functions in natural environments.
To assess the evolutionary implications of bacteriocins and resistance.

Main Methods:

Molecular analysis of bacteriocin production and function.
Ecological studies on bacteriocin activity in situ.
Evolutionary analysis of bacteriocin and resistance gene dynamics.

More Related Videos

Using the Overlay Assay to Qualitatively Measure Bacterial Production of and Sensitivity to Pneumococcal Bacteriocins

Using the Overlay Assay to Qualitatively Measure Bacterial Production of and Sensitivity to Pneumococcal Bacteriocins

Published on: September 30, 2014

Use of the Soft-agar Overlay Technique to Screen for Bacterially Produced Inhibitory Compounds

Use of the Soft-agar Overlay Technique to Screen for Bacterially Produced Inhibitory Compounds

Published on: January 14, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 5, 2026

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice

A Method to Assess Bacteriocin Effects on the Gut Microbiota of Mice

Published on: July 25, 2017

Using the Overlay Assay to Qualitatively Measure Bacterial Production of and Sensitivity to Pneumococcal Bacteriocins

Using the Overlay Assay to Qualitatively Measure Bacterial Production of and Sensitivity to Pneumococcal Bacteriocins

Published on: September 30, 2014

Use of the Soft-agar Overlay Technique to Screen for Bacterially Produced Inhibitory Compounds

Use of the Soft-agar Overlay Technique to Screen for Bacterially Produced Inhibitory Compounds

Published on: January 14, 2017

Main Results:

Bacteriocins show promise as natural food preservatives.
Emerging understanding of bacteriocins' ecological roles.
Assessment of evolutionary aspects and resistance is underway.

Conclusions:

Bacteriocins are significant compounds with potential applications in food preservation.
Further research into their ecological and evolutionary dynamics is crucial.