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

Staphylococcal Skin Infections01:29

Staphylococcal Skin Infections

46
Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive coccus that resides harmlessly on the skin and mucous membranes of healthy individuals. When the skin barrier is breached, it can shift from a commensal to an opportunistic pathogen. This transition is facilitated by surface adhesins, such as clumping factor B and S. aureus surface protein G (SasG), which bind to structural proteins, including loricrin and cytokeratin, in the damaged epidermis. Protein A, another key factor, binds the Fc region of...
46
Adherens Junctions01:24

Adherens Junctions

7.7K
Strong contact points between adjacent cells anchor them to each other, forming tissues. Such anchoring junctions are of two types –  adherens junctions and desmosomes. Adherens junctions are abundant in tissues such as  epithelium and endothelium, forming a continuous zone of adhesion called the adhesion belt. In other tissues, such as  heart muscle, they appear as clusters, linking the cells to produce coordinated heart muscle contraction.
Adherens Junctions are Dynamic
7.7K
Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments01:28

Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments

2.9K
Fimbriae and pili are specialized bacterial surface structures that play pivotal roles in adhesion, genetic exchange, and motility. Composed primarily of pilin protein, these hairlike appendages are crucial for bacterial survival and pathogenicity in various environments.Fimbriae: Adhesion and PathogenicityFimbriae are fine, filamentous structures measuring 2–10 nanometers in diameter and are densely distributed on the bacterial cell surface. They facilitate bacterial adhesion to abiotic...
2.9K
Surface Appendages of Archaea01:23

Surface Appendages of Archaea

831
Archaeal surface appendages are highly specialized structures essential for environmental adaptation, encompassing roles in adhesion, biofilm formation, and motility. Among these appendages, pili and archaella stand out for their distinct morphologies and functionalities, enabling archaea to thrive in diverse and often extreme environments.Pili: Adhesion and Biofilm FormationPili are filamentous structures assembled from pilin protein subunits, primarily contributing to adhesion and biofilm...
831
Adhesion01:14

Adhesion

45.4K
Adhesion occurs when one type of molecule is attracted to a different molecule. Water exhibits adhesive properties in the presence of polar surfaces, such as glass or cellulose in plants. For instance, when water is poured into a glass, the positively charged hydrogen molecules of water are more attracted to the negatively charged oxygen molecules in the silica than to the oxygen in neighboring water molecules.
Capillary action is a result of water’s adhesive tendencies. When a narrow...
45.4K
Tension Response at Adherens Junctions01:26

Tension Response at Adherens Junctions

4.3K
The adherens junctions that anchor cells together are multi-protein complexes that dynamically adapt to mechanical stimuli such as tensile forces and shear stress. Mechanosensory proteins in these junctions can sense such mechanical stimuli and undergo a shift in their conformation, resulting in an altered function — a process called mechanotransduction.
α-Catenin as a Mechanosensory Protein
The α-catenin of adherens junctions is an allosteric protein with three VH (vinculin...
4.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Microscale stiffness mapping of the human foetal pancreas defines hydrogels that promote the differentiation of pancreatic organoids.

Acta biomaterialia·2026
Same author

Multiscale characterization of a microalgae-yeast co-culture: combining physiological performance assessment and nanomechanical analysis of symbiotic interactions.

Bioresource technology·2026
Same author

Pre-cuticle DPY-6 acts as a blueprint for aECM periodic organization in C. elegans.

PLoS genetics·2026
Same author

Pre-cuticle DPY-6 acts as a blueprint for aECM periodic organization in <i>C. elegans</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Author Correction: Membrane remodelling mediates lipopeptide-induced immunity in Arabidopsis.

Nature plants·2026
Same author

Membrane remodelling mediates lipopeptide-induced immunity in Arabidopsis.

Nature plants·2026
Same journal

Ultrastructural evidence of autophagy-related processes and mitochondrial remodeling in the myxozoan parasite Henneguya piaractus.

Journal of structural biology·2026
Same journal

Architecture and dynamics of a supramolecular oxygen transport system in human homogentisate 1,2-Dioxygenase.

Journal of structural biology·2026
Same journal

Connecting pathways between mineralized fibrocartilage and bone at the Achilles tendon insertion.

Journal of structural biology·2026
Same journal

Structural and functional characterization of thermostable EstS1 esterase for BHET degradation.

Journal of structural biology·2026
Same journal

Following the white rabbit: multiscale 2D3D correlative imaging of bone structure.

Journal of structural biology·2026
Same journal

The mantis shrimp eye imaged in 3D using 4th generation synchrotron multiscale phase contrast tomography.

Journal of structural biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion
13:28

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion

Published on: September 2, 2011

16.4K

Forces guiding staphylococcal adhesion.

Philippe Herman-Bausier1, Cécile Formosa-Dague1, Cécile Feuillie1

  • 1Université catholique de Louvain, Institute of Life Sciences, Croix du Sud 4-5, bte L7.07.06, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.

Journal of Structural Biology
|December 29, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Atomic force microscopy reveals molecular forces in Staphylococcus adhesion. These techniques improve understanding of how these bacteria attach, crucial for fighting biofilm infections.

Keywords:
Atomic force microscopyBacterial adhesionBiofilmsMolecular forcesNosocomial infectionsStaphylococcus aureusStaphylococcus epidermidis

More Related Videos

Improved Enzyme Protection Assay to Study Staphylococcus aureus Internalization and Intracellular Efficacy of Antimicrobial Compounds
06:36

Improved Enzyme Protection Assay to Study Staphylococcus aureus Internalization and Intracellular Efficacy of Antimicrobial Compounds

Published on: September 8, 2021

3.3K
Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen
07:15

Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen

Published on: March 21, 2011

35.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion
13:28

Introducing Shear Stress in the Study of Bacterial Adhesion

Published on: September 2, 2011

16.4K
Improved Enzyme Protection Assay to Study Staphylococcus aureus Internalization and Intracellular Efficacy of Antimicrobial Compounds
06:36

Improved Enzyme Protection Assay to Study Staphylococcus aureus Internalization and Intracellular Efficacy of Antimicrobial Compounds

Published on: September 8, 2021

3.3K
Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen
07:15

Invasion of Human Cells by a Bacterial Pathogen

Published on: March 21, 2011

35.5K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biophysics
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus are leading causes of hospital-acquired infections.
  • Biofilms formed by these bacteria on medical devices are highly resistant to antibiotics.
  • Limited force-measuring techniques previously hindered understanding of bacterial adhesion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review how atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques illuminate molecular forces in staphylococcal adhesion.
  • To highlight advancements in studying bacterial attachment mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to analyze adhesion molecule binding.
  • Single-cell force spectroscopy (SCFS) to measure forces in whole cell interactions.
  • Multiparametric imaging to probe nanobiophysical properties of bacteria.

Main Results:

  • AFM techniques provide unprecedented insight into molecular interactions during staphylococcal adhesion.
  • SMFS elucidates specific binding mechanisms of key adhesion molecules.
  • SCFS quantifies forces governing cell-to-cell and cell-to-surface interactions.
  • Nanobiophysical probing reveals properties of living bacteria relevant to adhesion.

Conclusions:

  • Force and function are intrinsically linked in staphylococcal adhesion.
  • AFM-based methods are powerful tools for investigating bacterial adhesion mechanisms.
  • Enhanced understanding of adhesion forces can inform strategies against biofilm infections.