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

Evolution of New Traits in Microbes01:24

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...
Introduction to Metabolism01:30

Introduction to Metabolism

Metabolism encompasses all biochemical reactions in a living organism, facilitating both the breakdown and synthesis of biomolecules. These metabolic processes are categorized into catabolic and anabolic pathways, which operate in a coordinated manner to ensure energy balance and cellular function.Catabolic Pathways and Energy ReleaseCatabolic pathways involve the breakdown of complex macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into smaller structures like monosaccharides, fatty...
Overview of Metabolism01:40

Overview of Metabolism

Living cells constantly carry out various chemical reactions which are necessary for their proper functioning. These reactions are interlinked to one another via multiple pathways. The collection of these chemical reactions is known as metabolism.
Plant Metabolism
Sunlight, the primary source of energy in plants, is first absorbed by the chlorophyll pigments present in their leaves. Plants then use this energy to carry out photosynthesis, where water is oxidized into oxygen and carbon dioxide...
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation. However, because inorganic electron donors...
Regulation of Metabolism01:19

Regulation of Metabolism

Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
Evolutionary Processes in Microbes01:26

Evolutionary Processes in Microbes

Microbial evolution occurs rapidly due to short generation times and a variety of genetic processes, including horizontal gene transfer, mutation, recombination, and genetic drift. These mechanisms collectively enable microbes to adapt swiftly to changing environments.Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) allows genes to move between different species and occurs through three main mechanisms: conjugation, transformation, and transduction. Conjugation involves direct cell-to-cell contact for DNA...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

De novo promoters emerge more readily from random DNA than from genomic DNA.

Science advances·2026
Same author

A longitudinal whole-body CT dataset with manually annotated tumor lesions.

Scientific data·2026
Same author

Exploring the bone-vascular axis: AI-augmented chest CT analysis in COPD highlights association between vertebral bone density and arterial calcifications.

Respiratory medicine·2026
Same author

Voltage control of magnetism in Ni-Co oxide mesoporous films: impact of porosity on oxygen magneto-ionics performance.

Nanoscale·2026
Same author

Voltage-Driven Generation of Ferromagnetism in a Magneto-Ionically Active Antiferromagnet Enabling Room-Temperature Exchange Bias.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

Blended and Microparticle Composite Hyaluronan Hydrogels with Programmable Degradation through Selective Oxidation.

ACS polymers Au·2026
Same journal

Mammalian Respiratory Chain Complex Assemblies and Their Links to Mitochondria Stress-Induced Human Diseases.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2026
Same journal

Enzyme Assemblies in Nucleotide Metabolism: Structure, Regulation, and Disease Implications.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2026
Same journal

The Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex: A 90-Year-Old Enigma Shaping the Future of Structural Enzymology.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2026
Same journal

Regulation of the Anti-termination RNA Transcription Complex by Lon-Mediated Lambda N Degradation.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2026
Same journal

PCNA Macromolecular Complexes: PCNA Serves as a Molecular Hub Regulating Multiple Cellular Processes Inside and Outside of the Nucleus.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2026
Same journal

Dynamic Assemblies in Genome Maintenance.

Advances in experimental medicine and biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

CorrelationCalculator and Filigree: Tools for Data-Driven Network Analysis of Metabolomics Data
07:11

CorrelationCalculator and Filigree: Tools for Data-Driven Network Analysis of Metabolomics Data

Published on: November 10, 2023

Metabolic networks and their evolution.

Andreas Wagner1

  • 1Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. andreas.wagner@ieu.uzh.ch

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|July 24, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Systems biology examines genome-scale metabolic networks, essential for life. This study explores how network function constrains gene evolution and how gene changes impact network function, including metabolic innovations.

More Related Videos

Construction of Out-of-Equilibrium Metabolic Networks in Nano- and Micrometer-Sized Vesicles
10:56

Construction of Out-of-Equilibrium Metabolic Networks in Nano- and Micrometer-Sized Vesicles

Published on: April 12, 2024

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources
12:47

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources

Published on: January 22, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

CorrelationCalculator and Filigree: Tools for Data-Driven Network Analysis of Metabolomics Data
07:11

CorrelationCalculator and Filigree: Tools for Data-Driven Network Analysis of Metabolomics Data

Published on: November 10, 2023

Construction of Out-of-Equilibrium Metabolic Networks in Nano- and Micrometer-Sized Vesicles
10:56

Construction of Out-of-Equilibrium Metabolic Networks in Nano- and Micrometer-Sized Vesicles

Published on: April 12, 2024

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources
12:47

Workflow Based on the Combination of Isotopic Tracer Experiments to Investigate Microbial Metabolism of Multiple Nutrient Sources

Published on: January 22, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Systems biology
  • Metabolic networks
  • Evolutionary biology

Background:

  • Genome-scale metabolic networks are crucial for life, comprising numerous enzyme-catalyzed reactions.
  • These networks extract and convert environmental resources for organismal use.
  • Understanding metabolic network structure and function is key to studying cellular processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how the function of entire metabolic networks constrains evolutionary changes in their components.
  • To explore how evolutionary changes in network parts can, in turn, alter overall network function.
  • To examine the evolution of metabolic innovations through reaction addition.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of evolutionary constraints on enzyme-coding genes (amino acid changes, gene duplication, regulation).
  • Investigation of evolutionary impacts on metabolic networks (reaction elimination via gene loss-of-function mutations).
  • Study of reaction addition mechanisms, including horizontal gene transfer.

Main Results:

  • Metabolic network function imposes constraints on evolutionary changes in enzyme-coding genes.
  • Evolutionary alterations in genes can lead to reaction elimination or addition within networks.
  • Reaction addition facilitates the evolution of metabolic innovations and adaptation to new resources.

Conclusions:

  • The interplay between metabolic network function and gene evolution is bidirectional.
  • Evolutionary dynamics of metabolic networks shape organismal capabilities and adaptability.
  • Systems biology provides insights into the evolution of life's fundamental chemical processes.