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

Plasmids01:28

Plasmids

79
Plasmids are extrachromosomal DNA molecules found in bacteria, archaea, and some eukaryotic microbes like yeast. These small, circular DNA structures typically contain fewer than 30 genes, although some may exist linearly. Plasmids vary in their number within a cell, known as copy number. Single-copy plasmids are present in one copy per cell and multi-copy plasmids are present in multiple copies, reaching over 100 copies per cell.Plasmids usually replicate independently of the chromosomal DNA...
79
Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes00:46

Genomic DNA in Prokaryotes

44.3K
The genome of most prokaryotic organisms consists of double-stranded DNA organized into one circular chromosome in a region of cytoplasm called the nucleoid. The chromosome is tightly wound, or supercoiled, for efficient storage. Prokaryotes also contain other circular pieces of DNA called plasmids. These plasmids are smaller than the chromosome and often carry genes that confer adaptive functions, such as antibiotic resistance.
Genomic Diversity in Bacteria
Although bacterial genomes are much...
44.3K
Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

55.0K
Overview
55.0K
Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria01:29

Cytoskeletal Proteins in Bacteria

3.5K
Bacterial cells were initially considered simple, randomly organized structures lacking a cytoskeleton. However, the discovery of cytoskeleton homologs in bacteria led to the change of this opinion. Bacterial cytoskeletal filaments regulate the cell shape, cell polarity, cell division, and partitioning of plasmids during cell division. It was later discovered that bacterial cytoskeletal proteins, mainly actin and tubulin homologs, are diverse compared to their eukaryotic counterparts. On the...
3.5K
Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria01:29

Coordination of Gene Expression Processes in Bacteria

124
The DNA replication, transcription, and translation processes are intricately coupled in bacteria, allowing efficient gene expression and rapid protein synthesis. While this physical and functional coordination is advantageous, it introduces challenges that bacteria overcome through specific regulatory mechanisms.Coupling of Replication, Transcription, and TranslationThe coupling of replication, transcription, and translation is a hallmark of bacterial gene expression. As the replisome unwinds...
124
Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

60
The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
60

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Characterization and heterologous expression of plasmalogen synthase MeHAD from Megasphaera elsdenii.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular and cell biology of lipids·2023
Same author

HexSDF Is Required for Synthesis of a Novel Glycolipid That Mediates Daptomycin and Bacitracin Resistance in C. difficile.

mBio·2023
Same author

Cyclopropane Fatty Acids Are Important for <i>Salmonella enterica</i> Serovar Typhimurium Virulence.

Infection and immunity·2021
Same author

Lipid diversity in clostridia.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular and cell biology of lipids·2021
Same author

Validation of a simplified procedure for convenient and rapid quantification of reduced and oxidized glutathione in human plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

Biomedical chromatography : BMC·2020
Same author

Life without air.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach
12:32

Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach

Published on: December 14, 2019

14.1K

Plasmalogens in bacteria, sixty years on.

Howard Goldfine1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences
|December 1, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Plasmalogens, essential lipids in bacteria for 60 years, are derived from diacyl lipids via specific reductase enzymes. Their early evolution and widespread distribution suggest a fundamental role in organisms.

Keywords:
bacteriabiosynthesisevolutiongeneticsplasmalogen

More Related Videos

Plasmid Stability Analysis with Open-Source Droplet Microfluidics
07:43

Plasmid Stability Analysis with Open-Source Droplet Microfluidics

Published on: December 27, 2024

611
Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli
06:56

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli

Published on: March 24, 2023

5.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 19, 2025

Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach
12:32

Quantification of Plasmid-Mediated Antibiotic Resistance in an Experimental Evolution Approach

Published on: December 14, 2019

14.1K
Plasmid Stability Analysis with Open-Source Droplet Microfluidics
07:43

Plasmid Stability Analysis with Open-Source Droplet Microfluidics

Published on: December 27, 2024

611
Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli
06:56

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli

Published on: March 24, 2023

5.7K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Plasmalogens have been known in bacteria for six decades.
  • The biosynthetic pathway remained unclear until recently.
  • These lipids are structurally distinct ether lipids.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To confirm the pathway of plasmalogen biosynthesis in bacteria.
  • To investigate the evolutionary origin and distribution of plasmalogen-synthesizing genes.
  • To discuss the biophysical properties of plasmalogens in membranes.

Main Methods:

  • Identification and characterization of genes encoding reductases involved in plasmalogen synthesis.
  • Phylogenetic analysis of gene distribution across bacterial species.
  • Review of literature on plasmalogen phase behavior and membrane conformation.

Main Results:

  • Two genes encoding reductases that convert diacyl lipids to plasmalogens were identified.
  • These genes are prevalent in anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria.
  • Plasmalogens likely evolved early in Earth's history.

Conclusions:

  • Plasmalogen biosynthesis from diacyl lipids is confirmed in bacteria.
  • The ancient origin and persistence of plasmalogens indicate a crucial biological function.
  • Understanding plasmalogen properties is key to their role in cellular membranes.