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

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis01:23

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis

104
Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
104
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

2.0K
Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
2.0K
Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

141
Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and...
141
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

57
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...
57
Production of Antibiotics01:27

Production of Antibiotics

162
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...
162
Production of Pharmaceuticals01:30

Production of Pharmaceuticals

70
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...
70

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The cholesterol-dependent cytolysin promotes <i>Streptococcus</i> systemic spread and induces arachidonic acid accumulation-mediated lethality in a murine intraperitoneal infection model.

Infection and immunity·2026
Same author

A digital droplet microarray for measuring tolerance to antibiotics.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

IL-22 promotes genesis of small intestinal secretory cells that protect against cholera in mice.

Nature microbiology·2026
Same author

Remodeling of tRNA modification in Trypanosoma cruzi life forms.

PLoS pathogens·2026
Same author

Early-life Wnt4 expressing colon stromal cells orchestrate lifelong mucosal homeostasis via BMP-driven iNKT cell imprinting.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

A pro-carcinogenic bacterial toxin binds claudin-4 to cleave E-cadherin.

Nature·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 14, 2026

The Use of a &#946;-lactamase-based Conductimetric Biosensor Assay to Detect Biomolecular Interactions
08:06

The Use of a β-lactamase-based Conductimetric Biosensor Assay to Detect Biomolecular Interactions

Published on: February 1, 2018

9.7K

Endopeptidase-mediated beta lactam tolerance.

Tobias Dörr1, Brigid M Davis1, Matthew K Waldor1

  • 1Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America; Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.

Plos Pathogens
|April 18, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Vibrio cholerae survives antibiotics targeting cell wall synthesis by forming spheres, a process dependent on specific D,D endopeptidases. This bacterial survival mechanism contrasts with lysis seen in other bacteria.

More Related Videos

A Protocol for Functional Assessment of Whole-Protein Saturation Mutagenesis Libraries Utilizing High-Throughput Sequencing
11:36

A Protocol for Functional Assessment of Whole-Protein Saturation Mutagenesis Libraries Utilizing High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: July 3, 2016

11.4K
Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
09:00

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Published on: May 2, 2018

12.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 14, 2026

The Use of a &#946;-lactamase-based Conductimetric Biosensor Assay to Detect Biomolecular Interactions
08:06

The Use of a β-lactamase-based Conductimetric Biosensor Assay to Detect Biomolecular Interactions

Published on: February 1, 2018

9.7K
A Protocol for Functional Assessment of Whole-Protein Saturation Mutagenesis Libraries Utilizing High-Throughput Sequencing
11:36

A Protocol for Functional Assessment of Whole-Protein Saturation Mutagenesis Libraries Utilizing High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: July 3, 2016

11.4K
Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
09:00

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Published on: May 2, 2018

12.6K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Pathogenesis
  • Antibiotic Resistance

Background:

  • Inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis typically leads to cell death and lysis.
  • Autolysins, enzymes that degrade the cell wall, are believed to be critical in mediating antibiotic-induced lysis.
  • The precise mechanisms determining bacterial cell fate (lysis vs. survival) after cell wall-targeting antibiotic exposure remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the tolerance of Vibrio cholerae to antibiotics targeting cell wall synthesis.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms underlying Vibrio cholerae's survival in response to cell wall-acting antibiotics.
  • To identify the specific enzymes involved in Vibrio cholerae's response to cell wall-targeting antibiotics.

Main Methods:

  • Exposure of Vibrio cholerae to various cell wall-acting antibiotics.
  • Microscopic observation of bacterial morphology changes (rod to sphere).
  • Genetic analysis to identify essential enzymes for survival, focusing on autolysins like D,D endopeptidases.

Main Results:

  • Vibrio cholerae exhibits tolerance to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, undergoing a shape change from rod to sphere instead of lysis.
  • This sphere formation, indicative of cell wall degradation, is crucial for Vibrio cholerae survival.
  • Genetic studies revealed that D,D endopeptidases, enzymes that cleave the cell wall, are paradoxically required for this survival mechanism, while other autolysins are dispensable.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial cell fate after exposure to cell wall-targeting antibiotics is determined by specific cell wall-degrading enzymes.
  • D,D endopeptidases play a critical role in Vibrio cholerae's survival strategy through sphere formation.
  • Understanding these enzymes is key to comprehending bacterial responses to antibiotics and developing new therapeutic strategies.