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

Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids01:28

Biosynthesis of Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acid biosynthesis is a fundamental biochemical process that produces the purine and pyrimidine nucleotides essential for DNA and RNA synthesis. This pathway maintains a balanced nucleotide pool, preventing imbalances that could jeopardize genetic integrity and cellular function. Given the crucial role of nucleotides, their synthesis is tightly regulated to ensure proper cellular homeostasis.Purine BiosynthesisThe biosynthesis of purine nucleotides begins with ribose-5-phosphate, a...
Biosynthesis of Lipids01:29

Biosynthesis of Lipids

Microbial membranes exhibit remarkable diversity in lipid composition, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to various environmental conditions. The three domains of life—Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya—synthesize membrane lipids through distinct biosynthetic pathways, leading to fundamental structural differences that impact membrane stability, function, and adaptability.Fatty Acid-Based Lipids in Bacteria and EukaryaBacteria and eukaryotes share a common fatty acid biosynthesis pathway, which...
Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways01:29

Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways

Amino acid biosynthesis is essential for cell growth, protein synthesis, and metabolic regulation. Cells generate essential and non-essential amino acids from metabolic intermediates to sustain vital biological functions. These intermediates originate from key metabolic pathways: glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Important precursors include α-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and erythrose-4-phosphate, which provide...
Overview of Archaea01:29

Overview of Archaea

Archaea, named after the Archaean eon, represent a unique domain of life, distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes, with remarkable traits. Their cellular and molecular features, ecological adaptability, and industrial relevance highlight their importance in understanding life processes and leveraging biotechnology.Cellular and Molecular CharacteristicsA defining feature of archaea is their unique membrane composition. Archaeal membranes contain ether-linked isoprenoid lipids, which confer...
Diversity of Archaea IV01:29

Diversity of Archaea IV

Hyperthermophilic archaea are a group of extremophiles thriving at temperatures above 80°C, often in hydrothermal vents and volcanic soils where conditions surpass the boiling point of water. At such temperatures, proteins, membranes, and DNA in most organisms degrade, but hyperthermophiles have evolved remarkable adaptations to maintain stability and function.Unique Cellular FeaturesHyperthermophilic membranes are composed of a monolayer of biphytanyl tetraether lipids, which resist thermal...
Diversity of Archaea I01:30

Diversity of Archaea I

Archaea, a domain of single-celled microorganisms, are classified into five major phyla based on genetic and biochemical characteristics: Euryarchaeota, Crenarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Nanoarchaeota. Among these, the phylum Euryarchaeota is notable for its remarkable diversity in morphology, metabolism, and ecological adaptations.Morphological and Metabolic DiversityMembers of Euryarchaeota exhibit a variety of cellular shapes, including rods and cocci. Their metabolic pathways...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Targeting MDA-9/syntenin-1 (SDCBP) as a strategy to eliminate head and neck squamous cell carcinoma stem cells.

Cancer letters·2026
Same author

The PER2:BRCA1:POU2F1(OCT-1) ternary complex represents a multi-component scaffold model for circadian gene regulation.

Neurobiology of sleep and circadian rhythms·2026
Same author

Pick Your Poison: Tetrodotoxin Variants Give Pacific Newts a Potential Leg Up in the Coevolutionary Arms Race with Resistant Garter Snake Predators.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

MDA-9/Syntenin small molecule inhibitor IVMT-Rx-4 blocks prostate cancer bone metastasis.

Pharmacological research·2026
Same author

Structure-Guided Semisynthesis of Blasticidin S-Amicetin Chimeras as Selective Ribosome Inhibitors.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Drude SILCS-Nucleic: Harnessing Explicit Electronic Polarization in Targeting RNA and DNA for Drug Design.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Functional Complementation Analysis (FCA): A Laboratory Exercise Designed and Implemented to Supplement the Teaching of Biochemical Pathways
09:27

Functional Complementation Analysis (FCA): A Laboratory Exercise Designed and Implemented to Supplement the Teaching of Biochemical Pathways

Published on: June 24, 2016

Purine biosynthesis in archaea: variations on a theme.

Anne M Brown1, Samantha L Hoopes, Robert H White

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Roanoke College, Salem, VA 24153, USA.

Biology Direct
|December 16, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Manual curation of archaeal purine biosynthesis genes reveals pathway variability and highlights the need for further discovery. This study improves automated annotations and identifies potential new gene variants in this essential metabolic pathway.

More Related Videos

Examining Proteasome Assembly with Recombinant Archaeal Proteasomes and Nondenaturing PAGE: The Case for a Combined Approach
09:57

Examining Proteasome Assembly with Recombinant Archaeal Proteasomes and Nondenaturing PAGE: The Case for a Combined Approach

Published on: December 17, 2016

Plant Sample Preparation for Nucleoside/Nucleotide Content Measurement with An HPLC-MS/MS
06:38

Plant Sample Preparation for Nucleoside/Nucleotide Content Measurement with An HPLC-MS/MS

Published on: February 24, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 26, 2026

Functional Complementation Analysis (FCA): A Laboratory Exercise Designed and Implemented to Supplement the Teaching of Biochemical Pathways
09:27

Functional Complementation Analysis (FCA): A Laboratory Exercise Designed and Implemented to Supplement the Teaching of Biochemical Pathways

Published on: June 24, 2016

Examining Proteasome Assembly with Recombinant Archaeal Proteasomes and Nondenaturing PAGE: The Case for a Combined Approach
09:57

Examining Proteasome Assembly with Recombinant Archaeal Proteasomes and Nondenaturing PAGE: The Case for a Combined Approach

Published on: December 17, 2016

Plant Sample Preparation for Nucleoside/Nucleotide Content Measurement with An HPLC-MS/MS
06:38

Plant Sample Preparation for Nucleoside/Nucleotide Content Measurement with An HPLC-MS/MS

Published on: February 24, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Microbial genomics
  • Archaea

Background:

  • De novo purine biosynthesis is essential across all domains of life.
  • The archaeal purine biosynthesis pathway exhibits greater variability compared to eukaryotes and bacteria.
  • Manual curation is crucial for accurate gene annotation in archaea, even for well-studied pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the de novo purine biosynthesis pathway in archaea.
  • To assess the accuracy of automated gene annotations in the Integrated Microbial Genome system (IMG).
  • To identify potential novel gene variants within the archaeal purine biosynthetic pathway.

Main Methods:

  • Searched the IMG database for 17 known purine biosynthesis genes in 65 archaeal genomes.
  • Manually inspected 738 predicted proteins for active site residues and functional indicators.
  • Analyzed domain arrangements and assigned gene product names and Enzyme Commission (E.C.) numbers.

Main Results:

  • Identified 738 proteins with sequence similarity to purine biosynthesis enzymes.
  • Found evidence suggesting at least two undiscovered gene variants, as some archaea lack key enzymes.
  • Revealed inaccuracies in automated annotations, including incorrect enzyme activity assignments and missing E.C. numbers.

Conclusions:

  • The distribution of purine biosynthesis genes in archaea suggests significant horizontal gene transfer, duplication, and gene loss.
  • Manual curation enhances the accuracy of automated gene annotations and identifies areas for further research.
  • This study underscores the importance of ongoing manual curation to fully elucidate essential metabolic pathways in archaea.