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

Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria01:29

Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria

4.4K
Bacterial cells were initially considered simple, randomly organized structures lacking a cytoskeleton. However, the discovery of cytoskeleton homologs in bacteria led to the change of this opinion. Bacterial cytoskeletal filaments regulate the cell shape, cell polarity, cell division, and partitioning of plasmids during cell division. It was later discovered that bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, mainly actin and tubulin homologs, are diverse compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. On the...
4.4K
Introduction to the Cytoskeleton01:33

Introduction to the Cytoskeleton

40.2K
Overview of the Cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton is a network of protein filaments present within the cell, having three distinct filaments ̶   microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. Each has characteristic features that distinguish them, including the dynamics of their assembly and disassembly, mechanical properties, polarity, and the type of molecular motors associated with them. Earlier, they were thought to be present only in eukaryotic cells; however, their...
40.2K
Assembly of Cytoskeletal Filaments01:18

Assembly of Cytoskeletal Filaments

28.2K
Cytoskeletal filaments are polymeric forms of smaller protein subunits. However, individual cytoskeletal filaments may easily disassemble or associate with other similar filaments to form rigid structures. Microfilaments, made of actin monomers, rely on actin-binding proteins to form bundles and create networks of individual actin filaments. Microtubules rely on microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) to form sturdy cylindrical structures. However, the proteins involved in forming complex...
28.2K
Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria01:10

Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria

3.8K
Intracellular bacteria and viruses often comprise a group of highly infectious pathogens that can cause several diseases. Bacterial pathogens include those belonging to the genus Rickettsia responsible for conditions such as rocky mountain spotted fever and the Mediterranean spotted fever; Chlamydia, a genus responsible for a sexually transmitted disease; Coxiella burnetii, an agent responsible for Q fever. Viral pathogens include vaccinia—a poxvirus, and herpes simplex virus—a...
3.8K
Studying the Cytoskeleton01:17

Studying the Cytoskeleton

10.4K
The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...
10.4K
Cytoplasm01:16

Cytoplasm

94.3K
The cytoplasm consists of organelles and a framework of protein scaffolds called the cytoskeleton suspended in an aqueous solution, the cytosol. The cytosol is a rich broth of water, ions, salts, and various organic molecules.
Protein Folding and Misfolding
The cytoplasm is the location for several cellular processes, including protein synthesis and folding. The aqueous nature of the cytosol promotes protein folding such that the hydrophobic amino acid side chains are buried in the protein...
94.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Molecular structure of the ESCRT-III-based archaeal CdvAB cell division machinery.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Foam film vitrification for cryo-EM.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Mechanism of DNA capture by the MukBEF SMC complex and its inhibition by a viral DNA mimic.

Cell·2025
Same author

Membraneless channels sieve cations in ammonia-oxidizing marine archaea.

Nature·2024
Same author

Honeycomb gold specimen supports enabling orthogonal focussed ion beam-milling of elongated cells for cryo-ET.

Journal of structural biology·2024
Same author

Proteins containing photosynthetic reaction centre domains modulate FtsZ-based archaeal cell division.

Nature microbiology·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Cytoskeletal Dynamics to Unveil Novel Antibiotics Through Innovative Cell-Based Assays
05:57

Author Spotlight: Exploring Cytoskeletal Dynamics to Unveil Novel Antibiotics Through Innovative Cell-Based Assays

Published on: April 26, 2024

1.4K

SnapShot: The Bacterial Cytoskeleton.

Gero Fink1, Andrzej Szewczak-Harris1, Jan Löwe1

  • 1MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK.

Cell
|July 16, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Most bacteria and archaea possess filamentous protein structures, collectively termed the bacterial cytoskeleton. These structures are not universally cytoskeletal, nor do they always influence cell shape or internal organization.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Bacteria and archaea utilize diverse filamentous protein systems.
  • These systems are often collectively referred to as the bacterial cytoskeleton.
  • However, not all such systems function as true cytoskeletons.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the definition and scope of the bacterial cytoskeleton.
  • To investigate the diverse roles of filamentous proteins in prokaryotes.
  • To distinguish between cytoskeletal and non-cytoskeletal filament systems.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of prokaryotic filamentous proteins.
  • Review of literature on bacterial and archaeal cell structure.
  • Functional characterization of selected filament systems.

More Related Videos

Three-dimensional Imaging of Bacterial Cells for Accurate Cellular Representations and Precise Protein Localization
06:33

Three-dimensional Imaging of Bacterial Cells for Accurate Cellular Representations and Precise Protein Localization

Published on: October 29, 2019

10.8K
Vertical Immobilization Method for Time-Lapse Microscopy Analysis in Filamentous Cyanobacteria
07:26

Vertical Immobilization Method for Time-Lapse Microscopy Analysis in Filamentous Cyanobacteria

Published on: September 25, 2023

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Author Spotlight: Exploring Cytoskeletal Dynamics to Unveil Novel Antibiotics Through Innovative Cell-Based Assays
05:57

Author Spotlight: Exploring Cytoskeletal Dynamics to Unveil Novel Antibiotics Through Innovative Cell-Based Assays

Published on: April 26, 2024

1.4K
Three-dimensional Imaging of Bacterial Cells for Accurate Cellular Representations and Precise Protein Localization
06:33

Three-dimensional Imaging of Bacterial Cells for Accurate Cellular Representations and Precise Protein Localization

Published on: October 29, 2019

10.8K
Vertical Immobilization Method for Time-Lapse Microscopy Analysis in Filamentous Cyanobacteria
07:26

Vertical Immobilization Method for Time-Lapse Microscopy Analysis in Filamentous Cyanobacteria

Published on: September 25, 2023

1.4K

Main Results:

  • Filamentous protein systems are widespread in bacteria and archaea.
  • These systems exhibit varied functions, including cell shape determination and intracellular organization.
  • A subset of these systems aligns with the functional definition of a cytoskeleton.

Conclusions:

  • The term "bacterial cytoskeleton" encompasses a broad range of filamentous structures.
  • Functional and structural diversity exists within these systems.
  • A precise definition is needed to differentiate true cytoskeletal elements from other filament systems.