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

Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

61.9K
Overview
61.9K
Microbial Interactions: Predation01:28

Microbial Interactions: Predation

1
Microbial predation refers to the process by which one microorganism kills and consumes another to obtain nutrients and energy. It encompasses both bacterial and protozoan predators. This interaction plays a crucial role in shaping microbial communities and regulating nutrient cycling.Bacterial Predators: Epibiotic vs. EndobioticBacterial predators are classified based on their mode of attack as either epibiotic or endobiotic. Epibiotic predators, such as Vampirococcus, attach to the surface of...
1
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

1.9K
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...
1.9K
Biological Methods for Microbial Control01:28

Biological Methods for Microbial Control

1.2K
Biological agents offer an effective means of controlling microbial growth by leveraging natural processes like predation, competition, and the secretion of antimicrobial substances.Predatory bacteria such as Bdellovibrio species target and kill pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli. They are widely used in poultry farms to control infections. Myxococcus species help combat plant-pathogenic fungi. These naturally occurring predators serve as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical pesticides and...
1.2K
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

7
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...
7
Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens01:31

Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens

3.3K
The human immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against bacterial infections. It consists of various immune cells, each playing a specific role in the defense mechanism.
Phagocytes
Phagocytes are the frontline soldiers of the immune system. They include neutrophils and macrophages. Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cell and are quickly mobilized to the site of infection. Macrophages are larger cells that patrol...
3.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Glycerol-mediated improvement of heterologous aurachin D production in E. coli.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same author

Reaction Engineering of In Vitro Natural Product Biosynthesis: Challenges and Strategies.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2025
Same author

Whole-cell biocatalysis with Myxococcus xanthus.

Methods in enzymology·2025
Same author

Genome Reduction Improves Recombinant Benzoxazole Production in <i>Myxococcus xanthus</i>.

ACS synthetic biology·2025
Same author

Controlled interkingdom cell-cell communication between <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i> and <i>Bacillus subtilis</i> using quorum-sensing peptides.

Frontiers in microbiology·2024
Same author

Genetic modules for α-factor pheromone controlled growth regulation of <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>.

Engineering in life sciences·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Antibiotic Dereplication Using the Antibiotic Resistance Platform
10:49

Antibiotic Dereplication Using the Antibiotic Resistance Platform

Published on: October 17, 2019

11.8K

Antibiotics from predatory bacteria.

Juliane Korp1, María S Vela Gurovic2, Markus Nett3

  • 1Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology - Hans-Knöll-Institute, Beutenbergstr. 11, 07745 Jena, Germany.

Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry
|June 25, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Some bacteria hunt prey in groups, using antibiotics as weapons. Genome sequencing reveals these predatory bacteria have significant natural product biosynthesis capabilities, linking their predatory behavior to secondary metabolism.

Keywords:
Herpetosiphonantibioticsgenome miningmyxobacteriapredation

More Related Videos

Live-Cell Imaging of the Life Cycle of Bacterial Predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus using Time-Lapse Fluorescence Microscopy
08:56

Live-Cell Imaging of the Life Cycle of Bacterial Predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus using Time-Lapse Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: May 8, 2020

9.2K
Generating Transposon Insertion Libraries in Gram-Negative Bacteria for High-Throughput Sequencing
08:19

Generating Transposon Insertion Libraries in Gram-Negative Bacteria for High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: July 7, 2020

11.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 19, 2026

Antibiotic Dereplication Using the Antibiotic Resistance Platform
10:49

Antibiotic Dereplication Using the Antibiotic Resistance Platform

Published on: October 17, 2019

11.8K
Live-Cell Imaging of the Life Cycle of Bacterial Predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus using Time-Lapse Fluorescence Microscopy
08:56

Live-Cell Imaging of the Life Cycle of Bacterial Predator Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus using Time-Lapse Fluorescence Microscopy

Published on: May 8, 2020

9.2K
Generating Transposon Insertion Libraries in Gram-Negative Bacteria for High-Throughput Sequencing
08:19

Generating Transposon Insertion Libraries in Gram-Negative Bacteria for High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: July 7, 2020

11.5K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Natural Product Chemistry
  • Bacterial Ecology

Background:

  • Bacteria inhabit diverse environments and exhibit varied predatory behaviors, from solitary hunting to cooperative group attacks.
  • Anecdotal evidence suggests that bacteria employing a 'wolfpack' predatory strategy may use antibiotics as weapons.
  • Predatory bacteria, particularly those hunting in groups, are hypothesized to possess unique metabolic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the chemical basis of bacterial predation, specifically focusing on antibiotic production in group-hunting bacteria.
  • To compare the natural product biosynthesis potential of predatory bacteria with non-predatory bacterial species.
  • To elucidate the relationship between bacterial predatory strategies and secondary metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Genome sequencing of predatory bacterial consortia to identify biosynthetic gene clusters.
  • Chemical analysis of secondary metabolites produced by these bacteria.
  • Comparative genomics to contrast biosynthetic capacities between predatory and non-predatory bacteria.

Main Results:

  • Predatory bacteria, especially those hunting in groups, exhibit a high capacity for natural product biosynthesis.
  • Specific secondary metabolites, potentially antibiotics, were identified in these predatory bacterial groups.
  • Significant differences in biosynthetic potential were observed when comparing predatory and non-predatory bacteria.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial predation, particularly cooperative hunting, is strongly linked to the production of natural products and secondary metabolites.
  • Antibiotic biosynthesis appears to be a key adaptation for predatory bacteria employing group hunting strategies.
  • Understanding these metabolic pathways can offer insights into microbial interactions and the evolution of bacterial virulence.