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

Prochirality02:05

Prochirality

3.9K
The concept of prochirality leads to the nomenclature of the individual faces of a molecule and plays a crucial role in the enantioselective reaction. It is a concept where two or more achiral molecules react to produce chiral products. A typical process is the reaction of an achiral ketone to generate a chiral alcohol. Here, the achiral reactant reacts with an achiral reducing agent, sodium borohydride, to generate an equimolar mixture of the chiral enantiomers of the product. For example, an...
3.9K
Chirality in Nature02:30

Chirality in Nature

13.7K
Chirality is the most intriguing yet essential facet of nature, governing life’s biochemical processes and precision. It can be observed from a snail shell pattern in a macroscopic world to an amino acid, the minutest building block of life. Most of the snails around the world have right-coiled shells because of the intrinsic chirality in their genes. All the amino acids present in the human body exist in an enantiomerically pure state, except for glycine - the sole achiral amino acid.
13.7K
Role of Microtubules in Cell Wall Deposition01:02

Role of Microtubules in Cell Wall Deposition

2.5K
Microtubules are small hollow tubes in eukaryotic cells. The cell wall microtubules are polymerized dimers of two globular proteins, α-tubulin and β-tubulin, two globular proteins. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the widest components of the cytoskeleton. They help the cell resist compression and provide a track along which vesicles move through the cell or pull replicated chromosomes to opposite ends of a dividing cell. Microtubules go through quick cycles of...
2.5K
Peptidoglycan Synthesis01:28

Peptidoglycan Synthesis

225
Structure of PeptidoglycanPeptidoglycan is a vital structural component of the bacterial cell wall, providing mechanical strength and shape to the cell. It consists of repeating units of two sugars—N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM)—linked by β-1,4 glycosidic bonds. These sugar chains are cross-linked by short peptide chains, forming a mesh-like polymer that surrounds the bacterial plasma membrane.Cytoplasmic Phase – Precursor SynthesisPeptidoglycan...
225
Biosynthesis of Polysaccharides01:26

Biosynthesis of Polysaccharides

70
Polysaccharides such as glycogen and starch are synthesized from nucleoside diphosphate sugars, primarily uridine diphosphate glucose (UDPG) and adenosine diphosphate glucose (ADPG). These activated glucose donors act as key intermediates in carbohydrate metabolism and biosynthesis. UDPG primarily involves glycogen synthesis in animals and many bacteria, while ADPG plays a fundamental role in starch synthesis in plants and certain bacteria.UDPG is formed when glucose-1-phosphate reacts with...
70
Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways01:29

Amino Acid Biosynthetic Pathways

98
Amino acid biosynthesis is essential for cell growth, protein synthesis, and metabolic regulation. Cells generate essential and non-essential amino acids from metabolic intermediates to sustain vital biological functions. These intermediates originate from key metabolic pathways: glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and the pentose phosphate pathway. Important precursors include α-ketoglutarate, pyruvate, oxaloacetate, phosphoenolpyruvate, and erythrose-4-phosphate, which...
98

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Sec8 and Myo15 regulate epidermal chitin synthase localization and cuticular chitin biosynthesis.

Insect biochemistry and molecular biology·2026
Same author

Biosynthesis of Benzohydroxamic Acid in <i>Streptomyces angustmyceticus</i>.

Journal of natural products·2026
Same author

Structural and chemical properties of insect's chitin-containing extracellular matrices.

Insect biochemistry and molecular biology·2026
Same author

Structural basis of Fumosorinone-mediated allosteric inhibition of PTP1B for cancer immunotherapy.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

ZAT-DNA enables DNA data storage with molecular-layer non-replicability.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Structural insights into insect-selective sodium channel toxins drive AI-enhanced biopesticide design.

Nature communications·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples
03:32

Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples

Published on: August 22, 2019

10.4K

Structural basis for directional chitin biosynthesis.

Wei Chen1,2, Peng Cao3, Yuansheng Liu4

  • 1State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.

Nature
|September 21, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers visualized chitin synthase, crucial for fungal cell walls, revealing its multi-step mechanism and a unique

More Related Videos

Preparation of Expanded Chitin Foams and their Use in the Removal of Aqueous Copper
06:36

Preparation of Expanded Chitin Foams and their Use in the Removal of Aqueous Copper

Published on: February 27, 2021

3.7K
Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions
11:42

Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions

Published on: September 30, 2016

14.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples
03:32

Measurement of Chitinase Activity in Biological Samples

Published on: August 22, 2019

10.4K
Preparation of Expanded Chitin Foams and their Use in the Removal of Aqueous Copper
06:36

Preparation of Expanded Chitin Foams and their Use in the Removal of Aqueous Copper

Published on: February 27, 2021

3.7K
Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions
11:42

Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions

Published on: September 30, 2016

14.6K

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Structural Biology
  • Mycology

Background:

  • Chitin is a vital aminopolysaccharide and a key component of fungal cell walls.
  • Chitin synthase (CHS) catalyzes chitin biosynthesis but its mechanism remains unclear.
  • Oomycetes, like Phytophthora sojae, utilize chitin synthase for cell wall construction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism of chitin biosynthesis.
  • To provide structural insights into chitin synthase function and inhibition.
  • To characterize the chitin synthase from Phytophthora sojae (PsChs1).

Main Methods:

  • Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) was used to determine five structures of PsChs1.
  • Structures captured apo, substrate-bound, product-bound, and inhibitor-bound states.
  • Analysis focused on the enzyme's reaction chamber and product translocation pathway.

Main Results:

  • Detailed structures revealed the reaction chamber, catalytic site, and translocation channel.
  • A 'gate lock' mechanism involving a swinging loop was identified within the channel.
  • The structures illustrate sequential steps from substrate binding to product release and inhibition by nikkomycin Z.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides a comprehensive structural understanding of the chitin biosynthesis mechanism.
  • A novel 'gate lock' mechanism ensures directional product translocation.
  • These findings offer a structural basis for developing chitin synthase inhibitors.