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

Overview of Secretory Vesicles01:33

Overview of Secretory Vesicles

8.6K
Secretory vesicles, also known as dense core vesicles (DCVs), are membrane-bound vesicles that transport secretory proteins, such as hormones or neurotransmitters. Regulated secretory vesicles transport proteins from the trans-Golgi network to the exterior of the cell. Proteins present in regulated secretory vesicles are required to be rapidly exocytosed in large amounts upon a specific stimulus.
Various proteins regulate the aggregation of molecules inside the secretory vesicles. Chromogranins...
8.6K
Studying the Cytoskeleton01:17

Studying the Cytoskeleton

6.4K
The cytoskeletal architecture can be studied using different microscopic and biochemical techniques. Electron microscopy was instrumental in discovering the cytoskeletal architecture around the 1960s, which allowed obtaining structural information at a high-resolution level. However, the sample preparation procedure often limits this ability in biological samples. Several protocols have been developed over the years to optimize sample preparation. In one of the protocols known as rotary...
6.4K
Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

3.5K
Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
3.5K
Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane01:26

Fusion of Secretory Vesicles with the Plasma Membrane

11.2K
Proteins and neurotransmitters in secretory vesicles can be released from a cell upon vesicle docking, priming, and fusion with the plasma membrane. Vesicles are docked and primed in preparation for the quick exocytosis of their contents in response to a stimulus. The fusion process is mainly carried out by a SNAP Receptor or SNARE complex, consisting of synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25.
In 1993, Jim Rothman proposed that the antiparallel pairing of vesicular and transmembrane SNAREs, or...
11.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

PS Poly: A chain tracing algorithm to determine persistence length and categorize complex polymers by shape.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Polypyrrole-Coated Microneedle Platform for Offline Electrochemical Detection of Interferon-Alpha in Interstitial Fluid.

ACS applied bio materials·2026
Same author

Automated registration and clustering for enhanced localization atomic force microscopy of flexible membrane proteins.

PLoS computational biology·2025
Same author

Engineering of lipid membranes asymmetrically functionalized with chondroitin sulfate.

Faraday discussions·2025
Same author

Precise Fabrication of Graphite-Like Material Directly on a Biological Membrane Enabled by Ethanol Ice Resist.

Nano letters·2025
Same author

Insights into interactions between taxanes and P-glycoprotein using biophysical and in silico methods.

Journal of pharmaceutical sciences·2025
Same journal

Correction: Mahmud et al. Thymoquinone Attenuates NF-κβ Signalling Activation in Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells Under AMD-Mimicking Conditions. <i>Int. J. Mol. Sci.</i> 2025, <i>26</i>, 11473.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same journal

Correction: Borovikov et al. The Twisting and Untwisting of Actin and Tropomyosin Filaments Are Involved in the Molecular Mechanisms of Muscle Contraction, and Their Disruption Can Result in Muscle Disorders. <i>Int. J. Mol. Sci</i>. 2025, <i>26</i>, 6705.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same journal

Correction: Molagoda et al. Flavonoid Glycosides from <i>Ziziphus jujuba</i> var. <i>inermis</i> (Bunge) Rehder Seeds Inhibit α-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone-Mediated Melanogenesis. <i>Int. J. Mol. Sci.</i> 2021, <i>22</i>, 7701.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same journal

Correction: Guo et al. Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Molecular Regulatory Mechanism of Flavonoid Biosynthesis in Maize Roots Under Lead Stress. <i>Int. J. Mol. Sci.</i> 2024, <i>25</i>, 6050.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same journal

Correction: Chang et al. Improvement of Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Acute Hepatic Failure by Transplantation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Without Reprogramming Factor c-Myc. <i>Int. J. Mol. Sci.</i> 2012, <i>13</i>, 3598-3617.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
Same journal

Correction: Pînzariu et al. Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids: Key Factors in Pediatric Obesity and Therapeutic Targets. <i>Int. J. Mol. Sci.</i> 2025, <i>26</i>, 11503.

International journal of molecular sciences·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Intravital Microscopy for Imaging Subcellular Structures in Live Mice Expressing Fluorescent Proteins
08:23

Intravital Microscopy for Imaging Subcellular Structures in Live Mice Expressing Fluorescent Proteins

Published on: September 1, 2013

23.8K

Atomic Force Microscopy Reveals Complexity Underlying General Secretory System Activity.

Dylan R Weaver1, Gavin M King1,1,2

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|January 8, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Atomic force microscopy visualizes the E. coli Sec system, revealing SecYEG conformational changes and SecA interactions. This suggests protein translocation mechanisms vary based on precursor sequence features.

Keywords:
AFMconformationmembraneprecursorproteinsingle molecule biophysics

More Related Videos

Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis
16:01

Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis

Published on: January 26, 2015

13.2K
Imaging FITC-dextran as a Reporter for Regulated Exocytosis
04:50

Imaging FITC-dextran as a Reporter for Regulated Exocytosis

Published on: June 20, 2018

12.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 15, 2025

Intravital Microscopy for Imaging Subcellular Structures in Live Mice Expressing Fluorescent Proteins
08:23

Intravital Microscopy for Imaging Subcellular Structures in Live Mice Expressing Fluorescent Proteins

Published on: September 1, 2013

23.8K
Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis
16:01

Investigating Mast Cell Secretory Granules; from Biosynthesis to Exocytosis

Published on: January 26, 2015

13.2K
Imaging FITC-dextran as a Reporter for Regulated Exocytosis
04:50

Imaging FITC-dextran as a Reporter for Regulated Exocytosis

Published on: June 20, 2018

12.8K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular biology
  • Biophysics
  • Microscopy

Background:

  • Protein translocation across membranes is vital for all life.
  • The E. coli general secretory (Sec) system, comprising SecYEG, SecA, and SecDF, facilitates this process.
  • SecDF enhances secretion by coupling it to proton motive force.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the dynamic structure and activity of the E. coli Sec system using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
  • To visualize single-molecule activities of membrane-associated proteins in near-native fluid conditions.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of protein translocation across membranes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for high-resolution, single-molecule imaging of membrane proteins.
  • Observing the Sec system in fluid lipid bilayers to maintain biochemical activity.
  • Analyzing conformational changes and molecular interactions with high spatial-temporal precision.

Main Results:

  • Direct visualization of angstrom-scale conformational changes in SecYEG on millisecond timescales.
  • Direct imaging of SecA association with SecYEG, forming active translocases.
  • Observation of varying topographical aspects of translocation dependent on precursor protein species.

Conclusions:

  • The Sec system likely employs multiple translocation mechanisms, not a single one.
  • Precursor polypeptide sequence characteristics, specifically hydrophobic content distribution, may dictate the translocation mechanism.
  • AFM studies of active translocases are crucial for understanding protein export mechanisms.