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

Production of Antibiotics

Production of Antibiotics

Penicillin, one of the earliest and most widely used antibiotics, is produced industrially by the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Large stirred-tank bioreactors ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of liters maintain tightly controlled temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen conditions to support fungal metabolism and maximize antibiotic yield. Penicillin is a secondary metabolite, synthesized primarily during the stationary growth phase, which requires a carefully managed...

Production of Pharmaceuticals

Production of Pharmaceuticals

Industrial insulin production uses genetically engineered E. coli expressing a proinsulin gene controlled by a tryptophan promoter and containing a methionine linker for later cleavage. The cells also carry ampicillin resistance for selective growth. Seed cultures are stored at −80 °C and production begins by thawing a small amount to inoculate starter cultures, which are progressively scaled to a 50,000-L bioreactor. In the bioreactor, E. coli grow in nutrient-rich media under sterile, tightly...

Biosynthesis in Bacteria

Biosynthesis in Bacteria

Biosynthesis in bacteria is a fundamental anabolic process that generates essential macromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. These macromolecules are critical for cellular growth, replication, and function. The process is tightly regulated and energetically linked to catabolic pathways to ensure optimal resource utilization.Biosynthetic pathways begin with precursor metabolites such as pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, and glucose-6-phosphate derived from glycolysis,...

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...

Carbon-dioxide Fixation

Carbon-dioxide Fixation

Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Engineering a Cytochrome P450 <i>O</i>-Demethylase for the Bioconversion of Hardwood Lignin.

ACS synthetic biology·2026

Same author

Formaldehyde metabolism in the biocatalytic upgrading of lignin.

Current opinion in biotechnology·2026

Same author

Characterization of acetovanillone degradation in wild-type and engineered <i>Rhodococcus aromaticivorans</i> RHA1.

Applied and environmental microbiology·2026

Same author

Correction: The biosynthesis of N-acyalated tryptazolone in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related bacteria.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2026

Same author

The biosynthesis of N-acylated tryptazolone in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and related bacteria.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2025

Same author

Elucidation of a bacterial pathway for catabolism of the β-β-linked dilignol pinoresinol.

mBio·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Visual and Microscopic Evaluation of Streptomyces Developmental Mutants

Visual and Microscopic Evaluation of Streptomyces Developmental Mutants

Published on: September 12, 2018

Adventures in Rhodococcus - from steroids to explosives.

Katherine C Yam¹, Sachi Okamoto, Joseph N Roberts

¹Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Life Sciences Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Canadian Journal of Microbiology

|March 2, 2011

Summary

Rhodococcus bacteria break down diverse compounds, including cholesterol and lignin, offering insights into global carbon cycling and biocatalysis applications. This research reveals novel enzymes and pathways with potential for pollutant biodegradation and drug development.

More Related Videos

From a Natural Product to Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster: A Demonstration Using Polyketomycin from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028

From a Natural Product to Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster: A Demonstration Using Polyketomycin from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028

Published on: January 13, 2017

Adaptation at the Extremes of Life: Experimental Evolution with the Extremophile Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Adaptation at the Extremes of Life: Experimental Evolution with the Extremophile Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Published on: June 14, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Visual and Microscopic Evaluation of Streptomyces Developmental Mutants

Visual and Microscopic Evaluation of Streptomyces Developmental Mutants

Published on: September 12, 2018

From a Natural Product to Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster: A Demonstration Using Polyketomycin from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028

From a Natural Product to Its Biosynthetic Gene Cluster: A Demonstration Using Polyketomycin from Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028

Published on: January 13, 2017

Adaptation at the Extremes of Life: Experimental Evolution with the Extremophile Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Adaptation at the Extremes of Life: Experimental Evolution with the Extremophile Archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius

Published on: June 14, 2024

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biochemistry
Environmental Science

Background:

Rhodococcus bacteria are known for their metabolic versatility, utilizing various organic compounds.
This metabolic capability is crucial for the global carbon cycle and has biotechnological applications.
Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 serves as a model organism for studying these catabolic pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the genetic and biochemical mechanisms underlying the catabolism of diverse substrates in Rhodococcus.
To discover novel enzymes and pathways involved in biodegradation and biocatalysis.
To explore the potential applications of Rhodococcus metabolic capabilities in environmental remediation and biotechnology.

Main Methods:

Genomic and genetic analysis to identify gene clusters involved in catabolism.
Biochemical assays to characterize enzyme function and reaction mechanisms.
Molecular genetic studies to investigate enzyme biosynthesis and maturation.
Comparative genomics to assess the prevalence of identified pathways in other bacteria.

Main Results:

Discovery of a gene cluster for cholesterol catabolism involving side-chain oxidation and ring A cleavage.
Identification of novel metalloenzymes, including acetonitrile hydratase (ANHase) and its metallochaperone AnhE.
Characterization of N-acetylmuramic acid hydroxylase and dye-decolorizing peroxidases.
Demonstration of lignin degradation by one of the identified peroxidases.

Conclusions:

Rhodococcus possesses diverse and complex catabolic pathways, exemplified by cholesterol and lignin degradation.
Novel metalloenzymes and their biosynthetic pathways have been uncovered, expanding our understanding of microbial metabolism.
These findings provide fundamental insights with broad applications in biodegradation, biocatalysis, and understanding microbial pathogenesis.