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

Microbial Nutrition01:28

Microbial Nutrition

1.6K
Organisms exhibit remarkable metabolic diversity, categorized based on how they acquire energy and carbon. These strategies enable survival in various ecological niches and are essential for maintaining energy flow and nutrient cycling within ecosystems.Energy and Carbon SourcesOrganisms are classified as phototrophs or chemotrophs based on energy acquisition. Phototrophs use light as their energy source, while chemotrophs rely on oxidizing chemical compounds. Further differentiation arises...
1.6K
Overview of Archaea01:29

Overview of Archaea

1.2K
Archaea, named after the Archaean eon, represent a unique domain of life, distinct from bacteria and eukaryotes, with remarkable traits. Their cellular and molecular features, ecological adaptability, and industrial relevance highlight their importance in understanding life processes and leveraging biotechnology.Cellular and Molecular CharacteristicsA defining feature of archaea is their unique membrane composition. Archaeal membranes contain ether-linked isoprenoid lipids, which confer...
1.2K
Microbial Fermentation01:23

Microbial Fermentation

1.6K
Fermentation is a crucial anaerobic metabolic process that enables microbes to derive energy from sugar without relying on oxygen or an electron transport chain. This process is fundamental to various biological and industrial applications and is classified based on the metabolic products generated.Role of Pyruvate in FermentationPyruvate and its derivatives serve as key electron acceptors in fermentative pathways. The oxidation of NADH to regenerate NAD+ is essential for the continuation of...
1.6K
Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs01:15

Metabolism of Chemolithotrophs

972
Chemolithotrophs are microorganisms that obtain energy by oxidizing inorganic molecules such as hydrogen gas (H₂), ammonia (NH₃), reduced sulfur compounds (H₂S, S²⁻), and ferrous iron (Fe²⁺). Unlike heterotrophic organisms that rely on organic carbon, chemolithotrophs transfer electrons from these inorganic donors to the electron transport chain (ETC), generating a proton motive force (PMF) that drives ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation.
972
Environmental Applications of Microorganisms01:30

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

1.3K
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
1.3K
Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods01:27

Microbial Growth Measurement: Indirect Methods

1.7K
Estimating microbial growth is essential for understanding population dynamics and environmental adaptations. Indirect methods provide valuable insights by measuring parameters such as turbidity, metabolic activity, and biomass, enabling efficient and reproducible assessments.During exponential growth, microbial cells scatter light proportionally to their biomass, a principle used in turbidity measurements. About one million cells per milliliter produce detectable scattering, which a...
1.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Design and Application of Multiscale Systems and Scaffolds Based on Functional Polymeric Materials in Treating Chemoradiotherapy-Induced Oral Mucositis.

International journal of nanomedicine·2026
Same author

Biosynthesized Silk-Amyloid-Mussel Proteins as Dissolution Recyclable Materials With Tunable Supercontraction.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Engineered Protein-Cellulose Composite Hydrogels with Superior Mechanical Performance for Bioadhesion.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2026
Same author

Anabaena-a promising chassis for space exploration.

NPJ microgravity·2026
Same author

(p)ppGpp mediates persister formation in <i>Escherichia coli</i> during glucose to fatty acid shift.

Frontiers in microbiology·2026
Same author

Engineering Magnetic Nanobiocatalysts via Mussel Foot Protein-Mediated Laccase Immobilization for Enhanced Performance and Reusability.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands
07:26

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands

Published on: January 31, 2025

916

Engineering Microbial Metabolite Dynamics and Heterogeneity.

Alexander C Schmitz1, Christopher J Hartline1, Fuzhong Zhang1,2

  • 1Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA.

Biotechnology Journal
|September 14, 2017
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Metabolic engineering needs new tools to improve biological chemical production. Controlling metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity in microbes is key to boosting product yields and productivity beyond traditional methods.

Keywords:
cell-to-cell variationmetabolic engineeringmetabolite dynamicsmetabolite heterogeneitysynthetic biology

More Related Videos

Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics &#8211; 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
Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device
08:28

Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device

Published on: July 18, 2025

577

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 23, 2026

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands
07:26

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands

Published on: January 31, 2025

916
Characterizing Microbiome Dynamics &#8211; 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
Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device
08:28

Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device

Published on: July 18, 2025

577

Area of Science:

  • Microbial biotechnology
  • Metabolic engineering
  • Synthetic biology

Background:

  • Biological chemical production yields are nearing theoretical maximums, necessitating advanced metabolic engineering strategies.
  • Metabolite dynamics (changes over time) and metabolite heterogeneity (cell-to-cell variation) significantly impact microbial productivity.
  • Traditional engineering approaches are insufficient for further improvements.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity in microbial chemical production.
  • To explain the mechanistic origins and importance of these factors.
  • To highlight tools and strategies for engineering these properties to enhance productivity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity.
  • Analysis of the impact of these factors on microbial chemical production.
  • Discussion of single-cell analysis techniques for understanding heterogeneity.
  • Exploration of engineering tools and strategies.

Main Results:

  • Metabolite dynamics arise from microbial adaptation to environmental changes and are crucial for fermentation control.
  • Metabolite heterogeneity significantly affects overall population productivity.
  • Single-cell analysis provides insights into heterogeneity drivers and potential engineering targets.
  • Engineering metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity offers new avenues for strain improvement.

Conclusions:

  • Controlling metabolite dynamics and heterogeneity is essential for advancing biological chemical production.
  • New engineering approaches focusing on these cellular properties can overcome limitations of traditional methods.
  • This control promises significant increases in microbial strain productivity.