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

Modern Molecular Taxonomy01:29

Modern Molecular Taxonomy

831
Advancements in molecular biology have revolutionized the identification and characterization of bacteria, with multiple methods leveraging DNA sequencing for enhanced precision. As sequencing technologies improve and costs decline, these approaches are increasingly used in clinical, environmental, and evolutionary studies.Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) examines several housekeeping genes, essential chromosomal genes encoding cellular functions, to distinguish strains. Approximately...
831
Microbial Morphologies01:29

Microbial Morphologies

4.8K
Bacterial and archaeal cells exhibit remarkable diversity in shape and structure, critical in their adaptability and functionality. Among bacteria, the most commonly observed shapes include cocci and bacilli. Cocci are spherical and may exist singly or in groupings such as pairs (diplococci), chains (streptococci), clusters (staphylococci), or tetrads. Bacilli, in contrast, are rod-shaped and can also occur as single cells, in pairs, or chains, depending on their environmental and genetic...
4.8K
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy01:20

Applications of Molecular Taxonomy

653
Molecular taxonomy has revolutionized the understanding and classification of bacteria, providing precise insights into their diversity, evolutionary relationships, and ecological roles. By utilizing molecular techniques such as DNA sequencing and fingerprinting, researchers have made significant strides in various fields related to bacterial studies.Resolving Taxonomic AmbiguitiesMolecular taxonomy has been instrumental in distinguishing closely related bacterial species initially thought to...
653
Microbial Phylogeny01:28

Microbial Phylogeny

24
Understanding the evolutionary relationships among microorganisms is fundamental to microbial ecology and taxonomy. Phylogenetic trees are essential tools for inferring these relationships, relying primarily on comparative analyses of molecular sequences such as DNA, RNA, or proteins. In microbial studies, these trees typically depict the evolutionary paths of diverse bacterial and archaeal species by mapping genetic differences accumulated over time.Phylogenetic trees are composed of tips,...
24
Methods of Classification and Identification01:28

Methods of Classification and Identification

1.7K
Bacterial identification relies on a diverse array of techniques to classify and understand microorganisms, each tailored to uncover specific characteristics. Traditional morphological approaches, while still valuable, are limited for closely related or structurally simple organisms. Modern methods integrate biochemical, serological, genetic, and advanced molecular tools to achieve greater accuracy.Morphological and Biochemical TechniquesMorphological characteristics, such as cell shape and...
1.7K
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons02:54

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

7.2K
Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...
7.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Self-assembling proteins compose the chemically resistant shell biomaterial of planktonic tintinnid ciliates.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Editorial 2026.

Genome biology and evolution·2026
Same author

Linking hydrodynamic disturbances to microeukaryote biogeography: ciliate community shifts reveal freshwater plume and seawater intrusion dynamics.

ISME communications·2026
Same author

Comprehensive phylogenomic analyses of ciliated protists with a revised classification of the phylum Ciliophora (Eukaryota, Alveolata).

Science China. Life sciences·2026
Same author

A geothermal amoeba sets a new upper temperature limit for eukaryotes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Single-cell genomics reveals complex microbial and viral associations in ciliates and testate amoebae.

Nature communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy
07:00

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published on: October 4, 2024

1.3K

Patterns and processes in microbial biogeography: do molecules and morphologies give the same answers?

Luciana F Santoferrara1, Jean-David Grattepanche2, Laura A Katz2,3

  • 1Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, CT, USA.

The ISME Journal
|February 6, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Molecular and morphological analyses of planktonic ciliates revealed complementary insights into microbial biogeography. Combining genetic and physical traits is crucial for understanding microbial diversity and ecological roles.

More Related Videos

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis
08:09

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis

Published on: September 15, 2015

9.3K
Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities
09:57

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities

Published on: July 12, 2018

12.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 26, 2026

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy
07:00

Microbiota of Attine Ants' Gardens: Visualizing a Microbial Landscape by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Published on: October 4, 2024

1.3K
An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis
08:09

An Aquatic Microbial Metaproteomics Workflow: From Cells to Tryptic Peptides Suitable for Tandem Mass Spectrometry-based Analysis

Published on: September 15, 2015

9.3K
Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities
09:57

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics – Flow Cytometry Based Workflows from Pure Cultures to Natural Communities

Published on: July 12, 2018

12.6K

Area of Science:

  • Marine microbiology
  • Microbial ecology
  • Protistology

Background:

  • Microbial biogeography is influenced by how diversity is defined and measured.
  • Protists, unlike many microbes, possess distinct structures enabling comparisons between molecular and morphological diversity assessments.
  • Understanding microbial diversity is fundamental to comprehending their ecological roles and distribution patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and morphospecies in planktonic ciliates along a coast-to-ocean gradient.
  • To investigate the ecological processes structuring microbial assemblages across environmental gradients.
  • To assess the complementary value of molecular and morphological data in microbial biogeography studies.

Main Methods:

  • High-throughput sequencing and microscopy were employed to analyze tintinnids (shell-bearing planktonic ciliates).
  • Comparisons were made regarding assemblage composition, distribution, and environmental correlations between OTUs and morphospecies.
  • Ecological processes influencing assemblage assembly were explored using distance-decay analyses and environmental factor correlations.

Main Results:

  • Molecular data (OTUs) identified novel and rare taxa, while morphological data (morphospecies) showed stronger environmental correlations.
  • Both approaches confirmed distinct coastal versus oceanic patterns in ciliate assemblages.
  • Assemblage fluctuations were linked to distance-decay relationships and changes in morphospecies size and prey, suggesting niche partitioning.

Conclusions:

  • Molecular and morphological approaches provide complementary information for microbial biogeography.
  • Molecular data reveal hidden diversity, whereas morphological data better connect distribution patterns to ecological processes.
  • Integrating genotypic and phenotypic data is essential for a comprehensive understanding of microbial diversity, biogeography, and ecological functions.