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

C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

49.3K
Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
49.3K
Microbial Morphologies01:29

Microbial Morphologies

4.1K
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...
4.1K
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
Microbial Nutrition01:28

Microbial Nutrition

1.4K
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...
1.4K
Microbial Classification System01:24

Microbial Classification System

1.3K
Classification is the process of organizing organisms into hierarchically inclusive groups based on their phenotypic similarities or evolutionary relationships. A species comprises one or more strains, and closely related species are grouped into genera. Genera are further classified into families, families into orders, orders into classes, and so forth, up to the domain level, which is the broadest taxonomic rank derived from a combination of phenotypic and genotypic data.The nomenclature of...
1.3K
Other Glycolytic Pathways01:24

Other Glycolytic Pathways

993
The pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) operates in parallel with glycolysis, facilitating the metabolism of both pentoses and glucose. This pathway consists of two distinct phases: the oxidative and non-oxidative phases. While it does not directly generate ATP, the intermediates formed during the process can integrate into glycolysis, contributing to cellular energy metabolism when required.Oxidative Phase: NADPH ProductionThe oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway is primarily...
993

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Organosulfur compound-driven mobilization of colloidal metals and organic matter from acid mine drainage-contaminated paddy soils.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026
Same author

Elevated atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> decreases methylmercury production in freshwater lakes.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Polyethylene microplastics and nanoplastics colored with inorganic pigments in aquatic environments: Effects of mechanical aging on physicochemical properties, aggregation kinetics, and metal release.

Journal of hazardous materials·2025
Same author

Sweat-induced aggregation of nanoplastics with different sizes and functionalities: Implications for global and body-region variability in dermal penetration risks.

Journal of hazardous materials·2025
Same author

Physical Contact between Bacteria and Carbonaceous Materials: The Key Switch Triggering Activated Carbon and Biochar to Promote Microbial Iron Reduction.

Environmental science & technology·2025
Same author

Long-Term Grazing and Nitrogen Management Impacted Methane Emission Potential and Soil Microbial Community in Grazing Pastures.

Environment & health (Washington, D.C.)·2025
Same journal

Minimising decompression and warming during deep seawater collection increases abundance and activity of autochthonous bacteria and archaea.

The ISME journal·2026
Same journal

From strains to ecosystems: biocrust microbiomes as a new paradigm for dryland agriculture.

The ISME journal·2026
Same journal

Viral communities from long-term anaerobic alkane-oxidizing enrichments encode predicted cell surface adhesion functions.

The ISME journal·2026
Same journal

Endozoicomonas acroporae enhances coral thermal resilience through host-microbe coordination.

The ISME journal·2026
Same journal

Host life-history strategy is a critical determinant of virulent phage infection propensity.

The ISME journal·2026
Same journal

Trichoderma enriches Burkholderia via cross-feeding of degradation intermediates to enhance atrazine degradation and alleviate soybean phytotoxicity.

The ISME journal·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 12, 2026

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
09:33

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium

Published on: December 17, 2018

10.8K

Syntrophic pathways for microbial mercury methylation.

Ri-Qing Yu1,2, John R Reinfelder3, Mark E Hines4

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX, 75799, USA. ryu@uttyler.edu.

The ISME Journal
|March 31, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Microbial interactions significantly boost methylmercury (MeHg) production in anoxic environments. Syntrophic relationships, particularly those involving hydrogen and acetate transfer, enhance mercury methylation rates.

More Related Videos

In vitro Methylation Assay to Study Protein Arginine Methylation
10:01

In vitro Methylation Assay to Study Protein Arginine Methylation

Published on: October 5, 2014

15.9K
Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation
21:24

Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation

Published on: January 2, 2009

24.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 12, 2026

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
09:33

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium

Published on: December 17, 2018

10.8K
In vitro Methylation Assay to Study Protein Arginine Methylation
10:01

In vitro Methylation Assay to Study Protein Arginine Methylation

Published on: October 5, 2014

15.9K
Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation
21:24

Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation

Published on: January 2, 2009

24.2K

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Dietary methylmercury (MeHg) is a public health concern due to environmental mercury (Hg) contamination.
  • MeHg is produced by anaerobic microorganisms in anoxic environments.
  • Previous studies on Hg(II)-methylation often used single-species cultures, limiting relevance to complex environmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate Hg(II)-methylation rates within microbial syntrophies.
  • To understand the impact of interspecies microbial interactions on mercury methylation.
  • To elucidate the energetic basis for enhanced MeHg production in syntrophic communities.

Main Methods:

  • Examined Hg(II)-methylation in various microbial syntrophic consortia.
  • Compared methylation rates in syntrophic cultures versus monocultures.
  • Analyzed free energy yields (ΔG°') under sulfate-depleted conditions.

Main Results:

  • Syntrophy, driven by interspecies hydrogen and acetate transfer, enhanced Hg(II)-methylation rates.
  • Interactions between sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogens increased methylation 2-fold to 9-fold.
  • Syntrophic interactions with Syntrophobacter sp. also significantly boosted Hg(II)-methylation.
  • Higher rates in syntrophic incubations correlated with greater free energy yields in sulfate-limited environments.

Conclusions:

  • Syntrophic microbial interactions are a significant source of MeHg in sulfate- and iron-limited anoxic environments.
  • In sulfate-replete environments, MeHg formation is primarily driven by sulfate reduction.
  • Understanding microbial consortia is crucial for predicting and mitigating mercury methylation in situ.