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

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway02:33

Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

8.0K
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
8.0K
Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

1.0K
Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
1.0K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

9.0K
Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
9.0K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

13.7K
Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
13.7K
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

167.2K
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
167.2K
Lipids as Anchors01:32

Lipids as Anchors

6.7K
In the plasma membrane, the lipids forming the bilayer can also act as an anchor to tether proteins to the membrane. The three main types of lipid anchors found in eukaryotes are – prenyl groups, fatty acyl groups, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol or GPI groups. Prenyl and fatty acyl groups act as anchors on the cytosolic surface of the membrane, whereas GPI anchors proteins on the extracellular side.
The carboxy-terminal of most of the prenylated proteins, such as Ras proteins, contains...
6.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Comparing the operational metrics and functional outcomes of lumbar arthroplasty implants: a systematic review.

Neurosurgical focus·2026
Same author

The mechanism for ligand activation of the Smoothened G protein-coupled receptor.

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

Workflow Patterns and Clinical Consequences of External Ventricular Drain Timing: A 6-Year Analysis of 26 020 Cases From the American College of Surgeons National Trauma Data Bank.

Neurosurgery·2026
Same author

Association between steatotic liver disease subtype and thyroid cancer in women: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2026
Same author

Clinical Research for the Use of 7 T Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Spinal Pathologies: a Scoping Review.

Clinical neuroradiology·2026
Same author

Bitter taste TAS2R14 and TAS2R46 receptors bound to G proteins: comparison of cryo-EM, AlphaFold, and molecular dynamics structures.

European biophysics journal : EBJ·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 16, 2025

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol
10:12

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol

Published on: March 25, 2020

6.4K

Hedgehog proteins create a dynamic cholesterol interface.

Amirhossein Mafi1, Rahul Purohit1, Erika Vielmas1

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Division of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, United States of America.

Plos One
|February 25, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Researchers modeled cholesterol binding to Hedgehog (Hh) proteins using simulations and experiments. This reveals how Hh proteins recruit and orient cholesterol, crucial for development and disease.

More Related Videos

Quantitative PCR-based Assay to Measure Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Cellular Model of Ciliogenesis
07:26

Quantitative PCR-based Assay to Measure Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Cellular Model of Ciliogenesis

Published on: January 31, 2025

784
Cholesterol Efflux Assay
07:54

Cholesterol Efflux Assay

Published on: March 6, 2012

30.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Nov 16, 2025

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol
10:12

Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol

Published on: March 25, 2020

6.4K
Quantitative PCR-based Assay to Measure Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Cellular Model of Ciliogenesis
07:26

Quantitative PCR-based Assay to Measure Sonic Hedgehog Signaling in Cellular Model of Ciliogenesis

Published on: January 31, 2025

784
Cholesterol Efflux Assay
07:54

Cholesterol Efflux Assay

Published on: March 6, 2012

30.3K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • Hedgehog (Hh) signaling proteins are crucial for development, regeneration, and cancer.
  • Cholesterol modification of Hh proteins is essential for their function.
  • The structure of the cholesterol-binding domain (Hint-SRR or "Hog") remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To model cholesterolysis intermediates in human Sonic Hedgehog (hSHH).
  • To elucidate the structural basis of cholesterol binding to the Hog domain.
  • To propose a unified mechanism for cholesterol recruitment and orientation by Hh proteins.

Main Methods:

  • Molecular dynamics simulations.
  • Photoaffinity crosslinking experiments.
  • Mutagenesis assays.

Main Results:

  • Evidence for a dynamic, non-covalent complex between cholesterol and the Hog domain.
  • Identification of a hydrophobic interface within the Hint-SRR domain.
  • Models suggest how Hh proteins recruit, sequester, and orient cholesterol.

Conclusions:

  • A unified mechanism for cholesterol binding to Hh proteins is proposed.
  • The findings provide a molecular basis for understanding disease-associated hSHH mutations.
  • This work advances our understanding of Hh protein lipidation and signaling.