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

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics

Microorganisms play a fundamental role in vaccine development, gene therapy, and therapeutic production. Their biological properties are harnessed to advance medicine and public health. Beyond immunization, microorganisms contribute to gut health, antibiotic synthesis, and genetic disease treatment.Live Attenuated and Inactivated VaccinesLive attenuated vaccines, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, utilize weakened forms of pathogens to closely resemble natural infections.

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...

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...

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

Lytic Cycle of Bacteriophages

Bacteriophages, also known as phages, are specialized viruses that infect bacteria. A key characteristic of phages is their distinctive “head-tail” morphology. A phage begins the infection process (i.e., lytic cycle) by attaching to the outside of a bacterial cell. Attachment is accomplished via proteins in the phage tail that bind to specific receptor proteins on the outer surface of the bacterium. The tail injects the phage’s DNA genome into the bacterial cytoplasm. In the lytic replication...

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Microbiota Modulation by Antibiotics

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine by saving countless lives from bacterial infections. However, their widespread use has inadvertently harmed the delicate balance of the human gut microbiota. The gut microbiota, a complex community of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi, plays a vital role in regulating metabolism, immune responses, and maintaining intestinal health. Antibiotics, especially broad-spectrum types, disrupt this ecosystem by eradicating both harmful and beneficial...

Bacterial Transformation

Bacterial Transformation

In 1928, bacteriologist Frederick Griffith worked on a vaccine for pneumonia, which is caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Griffith studied two pneumonia strains in mice: one pathogenic and one non-pathogenic. Only the pathogenic strain killed host mice.
Griffith made an unexpected discovery when he killed the pathogenic strain and mixed its remains with the live, non-pathogenic strain. Not only did the mixture kill host mice, but it also contained living pathogenic bacteria that...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Identification of Four SNPs in LHB Gene and Their Associations with Sperm Qualities of Chinese Buffaloes.

Animal biotechnology·2016

Same author

DNA Topoisomerase Iα Affects the Floral Transition.

Plant physiology·2016

Same author

Machine Learning Based Single-Frame Super-Resolution Processing for Lensless Blood Cell Counting.

Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)·2016

Same author

Autophagy in long propriospinal neurons is activated after spinal cord injury in adult rats.

Neuroscience letters·2016

Same author

Human Lysozyme Synergistically Enhances Bactericidal Dynamics and Lowers the Resistant Mutant Prevention Concentration for Metronidazole to Helicobacter pylori by Increasing Cell Permeability.

Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)·2016

Same author

Therapeutic effect of apatinib on overall survival is mediated by prolonged progression-free survival in advanced gastric cancer patients.

Oncotarget·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

Bioluminescent Bacterial Imaging In Vivo

Bioluminescent Bacterial Imaging In Vivo

Published on: November 4, 2012

Bacteria-mediated disease therapy.

¹Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. hyu29@jhmi.edu

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

|October 29, 2011

Summary

Bacteria are emerging as powerful therapeutic tools. This review highlights recent advances in using bacteria, including probiotics and engineered Salmonella, to treat inflammatory diseases, cancer, and viral infections.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biotechnology
Immunology

Background:

Bacteria have historically served as models for genetic studies and industrial applications.
Recent advancements in molecular biology and immunology have spurred interest in therapeutic uses of bacteria.
Understanding bacterial genetics and host immune responses is crucial for developing bacterial therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent progress in applying bacteria for disease treatment.
To explore therapeutic strategies involving probiotics, anaerobic bacteria, and engineered Salmonella.
To summarize novel approaches for treating inflammatory diseases, cancer, and viral infections using bacteria.

Main Methods:

Literature review of studies on bacterial therapeutic applications.

More Related Videos

Measuring Growth and Gene Expression Dynamics of Tumor-Targeted S. Typhimurium Bacteria

Measuring Growth and Gene Expression Dynamics of Tumor-Targeted S. Typhimurium Bacteria

Published on: July 6, 2013

An Automated Culture System for Use in Preclinical Testing of Host-Directed Therapies for Tuberculosis

An Automated Culture System for Use in Preclinical Testing of Host-Directed Therapies for Tuberculosis

Published on: August 16, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

Bioluminescent Bacterial Imaging In Vivo

Bioluminescent Bacterial Imaging In Vivo

Published on: November 4, 2012

Measuring Growth and Gene Expression Dynamics of Tumor-Targeted S. Typhimurium Bacteria

Measuring Growth and Gene Expression Dynamics of Tumor-Targeted S. Typhimurium Bacteria

Published on: July 6, 2013

An Automated Culture System for Use in Preclinical Testing of Host-Directed Therapies for Tuberculosis

An Automated Culture System for Use in Preclinical Testing of Host-Directed Therapies for Tuberculosis

Published on: August 16, 2021

Analysis of probiotic mechanisms for immunomodulation.

Examination of anaerobic bacteria for tumor targeting and drug delivery.

Summary of engineered Salmonella for targeted therapy, including RNase P delivery for viral infections.

Main Results:

Probiotics demonstrate significant immunomodulatory effects beneficial for inflammatory diseases.
Anaerobic bacteria show potential in selectively destroying tumor cells and delivering therapeutic agents.
Engineered bacteria, such as Salmonella, can be designed for targeted delivery of therapeutic molecules like RNase P to combat viral infections.

Conclusions:

Bacteria offer a versatile platform for novel therapeutic interventions across various diseases.
Targeted delivery systems using engineered bacteria hold promise for cancer and infectious disease treatment.
Further research into bacterial-host interactions and genetic engineering will expand their therapeutic potential.