Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment

Transmission-based Precautions II: Airborne and Protective Environment

Transmission-based precautions are for patients infected or suspected to be infected (or colonized) with organisms posing a significant risk to others. The transmission precautions include airborne and protective environment precautions.
Airborne precautions:
Use airborne precautions when treating patients known or suspected to have diseases that spread through the air—for example, tuberculosis or measles. These organisms are present in smaller droplets expelled by an infected person and...

Physical Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth: Radiation and Filtration

Physical Methods for Controlling Microbial Growth: Radiation and Filtration

Radiation and filtration are essential tools for microbial control, targeting microorganisms through distinct mechanisms. Radiation eliminates microbes by damaging their DNA, either killing them or inhibiting their growth. Based on wavelength, radiation is classified into two types: nonionizing and ionizing radiation.Non-ionizing radiation, such as UV radiation (200–400 nm), is absorbed by DNA, causing defects that effectively disinfect surfaces, air, and water, including safety cabinets.

Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract

Microbiota of the Respiratory Tract

The human respiratory tract, comprising the upper and lower segments, serves as a critical interface with the external environment. The upper respiratory tract (URT)—including the nostrils, sinuses, pharynx, and oropharynx—is heavily colonized by microbes, while the lower respiratory tract (LRT), composed of the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, was long thought to be sterile. However, recent molecular studies have revealed that the lungs are not devoid of microbes but act more like...

Inhalation Anthrax

Inhalation Anthrax

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium. It primarily affects herbivorous animals but can be transmitted to humans through skin contact, ingestion, or inhalation of spores.Cutaneous anthrax, the most common form, typically results from direct contact with bacterial spores through skin abrasions and is generally less severe. Gastrointestinal anthrax results from eating undercooked or contaminated meat. It affects the mouth, throat, or...

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health concern, primarily targeting the lungs and spreading through airborne transmission. Infection begins when aerosolized droplet nuclei, expelled by an individual with active TB, are inhaled by another person. These microscopic particles carry Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of TB. Upon reaching the alveoli, the bacilli are engulfed by alveolar macrophages. However, due to their specialized lipid-rich cell wall, these pathogens...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Interventional Effects of Edible Bird's Nest or Sialic Acids on Sepsis-Induced Immunosuppression in Mice.

Food science & nutrition·2026

Same author

Perivascular interactions and tissue properties modulate directional glymphatic transport in the brain.

Fluids and barriers of the CNS·2025

Same author

Cockroach Microbiome Disrupts Indoor Environmental Microbial Ecology with Potential Public Health Implications.

Environment & health (Washington, D.C.)·2025

Same author

Prevalence and predictors of short stature in children aged 3-18 years in Hainan Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

Frontiers in pediatrics·2025

Same author

Perfluorinated compounds linked to central precocious puberty in girls during COVID-19: an untargeted metabolomics study.

Frontiers in endocrinology·2025

Same author

Numerical study of the effects of minor structures and mean velocity fields in the cerebrospinal fluid flow.

Fluids and barriers of the CNS·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology

Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology

Published on: October 3, 2016

Resolving Airborne Bacterial Viability in Megacity Beijing: Temperature-Linked Human-Associated Potential Pathogens

Jiahui Ma¹, Bizhao Kang¹, Haidan Li¹

¹School of Energy and Power Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China.

Environmental Science & Technology

|June 30, 2026

Summary

Researchers partitioned airborne microbial DNA into extracellular, cellular, and intact cell fractions. Intact cell DNA revealed seasonal shifts and enriched respiratory pathogens, highlighting DNA partitioning for assessing inhalation risks.

Keywords:

PMA ambient air bioaerosol indoor air viable bacteria

More Related Videos

Detection of Viruses from Bioaerosols Using Anion Exchange Resin

Detection of Viruses from Bioaerosols Using Anion Exchange Resin

Published on: August 22, 2018

Composition and Distribution Analysis of Bioaerosols Under Different Environmental Conditions

Composition and Distribution Analysis of Bioaerosols Under Different Environmental Conditions

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology

Safety Precautions and Operating Procedures in an (A)BSL-4 Laboratory: 3. Aerobiology

Published on: October 3, 2016

Detection of Viruses from Bioaerosols Using Anion Exchange Resin

Detection of Viruses from Bioaerosols Using Anion Exchange Resin

Published on: August 22, 2018

Composition and Distribution Analysis of Bioaerosols Under Different Environmental Conditions

Composition and Distribution Analysis of Bioaerosols Under Different Environmental Conditions

Published on: January 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Environmental microbiology
Molecular biology
Bioaerosol science

Background:

DNA sequencing reveals vast airborne microbial diversity, but distinguishing between DNA from viable cells and extracellular sources is challenging.
Conflating these DNA sources obscures their unique health and ecological implications in bioaerosols.

Purpose of the Study:

To differentiate and analyze airborne bacterial DNA from extracellular, cellular, and intact cell sources.
To understand the distinct community structures and health implications of each DNA fraction.

Main Methods:

Partitioning airborne bacterial DNA into extracellular DNA (eDNA), cellular DNA (celDNA), and intact DNA (iDNA) using CTAB and PMA treatments.
Characterizing each DNA fraction via 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Analyzing community structures and environmental drivers using distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA).

Main Results:

Ambient eDNA showed higher species richness than iDNA and celDNA, a pattern absent indoors.
Distinct community structures were observed across the three fractions, varying with season and environment.
Intact DNA (iDNA) was enriched with host-associated bacteria, including respiratory pathogens prevalent in winter.

Conclusions:

DNA partitioning is crucial for accurately assessing bioaerosol composition and associated health risks.
Seasonal variations and temperature significantly influence airborne microbial communities.
The iDNA fraction provides insights into viable, potentially pathogenic airborne microbes relevant to human health.