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

Chemiosmosis and ATP Synthesis01:22

Chemiosmosis and ATP Synthesis

196
The electron transport chain is a critical component of cellular respiration, occurring in the inner mitochondrial membrane. It facilitates the transfer of high-energy electrons from reduced cofactors NADH and FADH₂ to molecular oxygen, the final electron acceptor. This transfer of electrons through a series of protein complexes is tightly coupled to the translocation of protons across the membrane, generating a proton gradient essential for ATP synthesis.Electron Flow and Proton...
196
ATP Synthase: Mechanism01:48

ATP Synthase: Mechanism

15.1K
In animals, the mitochondrial F1F0 ATP synthase is the key protein that synthesizes ATP molecules through a complex catalytic mechanism. While the nuclear genome encodes the majority of ATP synthase subunits, the mitochondrial genome encodes some of the enzyme's most critical components. The formation of this multi-subunit enzyme is a complex multi-step process regulated at the level of transcription, translation, and assembly. Defects in one or more of these steps can result in decreased...
15.1K
ATP Synthase: Structure01:18

ATP Synthase: Structure

13.0K
ATP synthase or ATPase is among the most conserved proteins found in bacteria, mammals, and plants. This enzyme can catalyze a forward reaction in response to the electrochemical gradient, producing ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. ATP synthase can also work in a reverse direction by hydrolyzing ATP and generating an electrochemical gradient. Different forms of ATP synthases have evolved special features to meet the specific demands of the cell. Based on their specific feature, ATP...
13.0K
Chemiosmosis01:32

Chemiosmosis

102.0K
Oxidative phosphorylation is a highly efficient process that generates large amounts of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the basic unit of energy that drives many cellular processes. Oxidative phosphorylation involves two processes— the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.
Electron Transport Chain
The electron transport chain involves a series of protein complexes on the inner mitochondrial membrane that undergo a series of redox reactions. At the end of this chain, the electrons...
102.0K
ATP and Energy Production01:23

ATP and Energy Production

188
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a critical molecule that functions as the main energy carrier in cells. Structurally, ATP consists of an adenosine molecule—comprising adenine and ribose—bonded to three phosphate groups. The high-energy bonds between these phosphate groups store significant amounts of potential energy. This energy is released during hydrolysis, wherein ATP is converted to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or adenosine monophosphate (AMP), driving a variety of essential...
188
Oxygenic Photosynthesis01:26

Oxygenic Photosynthesis

181
Oxygenic photosynthesis is a fundamental process in which light energy is harnessed to drive the oxidation of water, leading to the production of molecular oxygen (O₂), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). This process is essential for sustaining aerobic life on Earth and is primarily carried out by cyanobacteria, algae, and plants. The core of oxygenic photosynthesis lies in the thylakoid membranes, where chlorophyll pigments facilitate...
181

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Flavobacteria consume nitrous oxide produced by partial denitrifiers in coastal sediments.

The ISME journal·2026
Same author

L-type pyocins inhibit the BAM complex to kill without cell entry.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Metagenomic expansion of Joyebacterota identifies <i>Cavimicrobium</i>, a dominant sulfide-producing lineage in anoxic marine ecosystems.

ISME communications·2026
Same author

Genome scale CRISPRi reveals both shared and strain-specific vulnerabilities in genetically diverse drug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Aerobic soil bacteria adapt to hypoxia by hybridizing fermentation with carbon storage.

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

New lineages provide insights into the convergent evolution of extreme salt adaptation within symbiotic Archaea.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 8, 2025

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
10:00

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor

Published on: March 10, 2023

2.5K

ATP synthesis driven by atmospheric hydrogen concentrations.

Sarah Soom1, Stefan Urs Moning1,2, Gregory M Cook3,4

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern 3012, Switzerland.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|July 24, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Certain bacteria can generate energy currency, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), using only atmospheric hydrogen. This process sustains cellular functions during nutrient scarcity and offers a traceless method for synthetic ATP production.

Keywords:
ATP synthesisaerotrophybioenergeticshydrogenasesynthetic biology

More Related Videos

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment
11:38

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment

Published on: December 3, 2019

7.8K
Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
10:21

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions

Published on: October 5, 2019

8.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Sep 8, 2025

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor
10:00

Hydrogen Production and Utilization in a Membrane Reactor

Published on: March 10, 2023

2.5K
Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment
11:38

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment

Published on: December 3, 2019

7.8K
Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions
10:21

Developing Photosensitizer-Cobaloxime Hybrids for Solar-Driven H2 Production in Aqueous Aerobic Conditions

Published on: October 5, 2019

8.5K

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bioenergetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cells require adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy, primarily generated by F1F0-ATP synthase using a proton gradient (pmf).
  • Bacteria utilize diverse energy sources to create pmf, with recent hypotheses suggesting atmospheric trace gases as a potential source.
  • Direct evidence for atmospheric energy sources driving pmf and ATP synthesis in bacteria has been lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if atmospheric hydrogen can be harnessed by bacterial enzymes to generate pmf and synthesize ATP.
  • To demonstrate the sufficiency of atmospheric energy sources for bacterial energy conservation during nutrient starvation.
  • To explore the potential of this mechanism for traceless ATP production in synthetic applications.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized purified hydrogen:quinone oxidoreductase (Huc) from Mycobacterium smegmatis, which couples H2 oxidation to quinone reduction.
  • Reconstituted a minimal respiratory chain in liposomes containing Huc, E. coli bd-I oxidase, and F1F0-ATP synthase.
  • Employed passive hydrogen exchange from air and continuous culture bioenergetics measurements.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that Huc enables ATP synthesis using passive hydrogen from air.
  • Showed that the reconstituted system generates sufficient pmf for ATP accumulation.
  • Quantified ATP synthesis at two ATP molecules per H2 oxidized, sufficient for mycobacterial maintenance energy.

Conclusions:

  • Confirms that atmospheric trace gases, specifically hydrogen, can serve as a vital energy source for bacteria, enabling continuous energy conservation.
  • Highlights the potential of this biological mechanism as a traceless method for ATP production in synthetic biology and biotechnology.
  • Establishes a foundational understanding of bacterial adaptation to nutrient-limited environments using atmospheric energy sources.