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 Experiment Videos

Membrane depolarization-triggered responsive diversification leads to antibiotic tolerance.

Natalie Verstraeten1, Wouter J Knapen1, Maarten Fauvart1

  • 1Centre of Microbial and Plant Genetics, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.

Microbial Cell (Graz, Austria)
|March 31, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Heterologous expression and functional characterization of novel microcin B17 congeners from environmental Pseudomonas isolates.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2026
Same author

Reprogramming the EnvZ-OmpR two-component system confers ethanol tolerance in Escherichia coli by stabilizing the outer membrane and altering ferric homeostasis.

PLoS genetics·2025
Same author

The evolutionary role of mutational robustness: theoretical insights.

Trends in genetics : TIG·2025
Same author

α-Ketoglutaric acid as a promising platform chemical for sustainable bio-based industries.

Chemical Society reviews·2025
Same author

Fast track to environmentally adapted rhizobia for growing soybean at northern latitudes using citizen science.

The ISME journal·2025
Same author

In silico identification of gene targets to enhance C12 fatty acid production in Escherichia coli.

Applied microbiology and biotechnology·2025

Bacterial persister cells survive antibiotics by collapsing cellular energy. The GTPase Obg protein controls this process via HokB toxin, offering a potential target for new therapies against chronic infections.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Bacterial persister cells are a small subpopulation exhibiting high tolerance to antibiotics.
  • Understanding persister cell mechanisms is crucial for treating chronic infections.
  • The precise molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial persistence are not fully elucidated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of the GTPase Obg in bacterial persistence.
  • To elucidate the molecular pathway through which Obg modulates antibiotic tolerance.
  • To assess the conservation and therapeutic potential of Obg-mediated persistence in pathogens.

Main Methods:

  • Genetic manipulation of bacterial strains to study Obg and HokB.
  • Measurement of membrane potential and cellular energy levels.
Keywords:
(p)ppGppCgtAHokBObgObgEYhbZantibiotic tolerancemembrane depolarizationpersistenceresponsive diversificationtoxin antitoxin

Related Experiment Videos

  • Antibiotic susceptibility testing of wild-type and mutant strains.
  • Comparative analysis in the pathogen *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*.

    • Main Results:

    • The GTPase Obg regulates bacterial persistence through a (p)ppGpp-dependent pathway.
    • Obg controls the expression of the membrane-bound toxin HokB.
    • HokB activation leads to membrane potential collapse and reduced cellular energy, inducing persistence.
    • This Obg-mediated persistence mechanism is conserved in *Pseudomonas aeruginosa*.

    Conclusions:

    • The Obg protein is a key regulator of bacterial persistence.
    • The Obg-HokB-mediated pathway offers a novel mechanism for antibiotic tolerance.
    • Obg represents a promising therapeutic target for combating persistent bacterial infections.