gas vesicle

(noun)

Gas vesicles are spindle-shaped structures found in some planktonic bacteria that provide buoyancy to these cells by decreasing their overall cell density.

Related Terms

Examples of gas vesicle in the following topics:

  • Gas Vesicles

    • There is a simple relationship between the diameter of the gas vesicle and pressure at which it will collapse - the wider the gas vesicle the weaker it becomes.
    • However, wider gas vesicles are more efficient.
    • They provide more buoyancy per unit of protein than narrow gas vesicles.
    • This will select for species with narrower, stronger gas vesicles.
    • Discuss the role of a gas vesicle in regards to survival

  • Cyanobacteria

    • Heterocyst-forming species are specialized for nitrogen fixation and are able to bind nitrogen gas to ammonia (NH3), nitrites (NO−2) or nitrates (NO−3).
    • In water columns some cyanobacteria float by forming gas vesicles, like in archaea.
    • These vesicles are not organelles as such.

  • Group Translocation

    • With some exceptions, bacteria lack membrane-bound organelles as found in eukaryotes, but they may assemble proteins onto various types of inclusions such as gas vesicles and storage granules.

  • Paralysis-Causing Bacterial Neurotoxins

    • This light chain is an enzyme (a protease) that attacks one of the fusion proteins (SNAP-25, syntaxin or synaptobrevin) at a neuromuscular junction, preventing vesicles from anchoring to the membrane to release acetylcholine.
    • The light chain is able to cleave endocytotic vesicles and reach the cytoplasm.
    • The SNAP-25 protein is required for vesicle fusion that releases neurotransmitters from the axon endings (in particular acetylcholine).
    • Botulinum toxin specifically cleaves these SNAREs, and so prevents neurosecretory vesicles from docking/fusing with the nerve synapse plasma membrane and releasing their neurotransmitters.

  • Gas Requirements

    • Cells are grown and maintained at an appropriate temperature and gas mixture of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen in a cell incubator.
    • Cells are grown and maintained at an appropriate temperature and gas mixture (typically, 37°C and a mixture of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen) in a cell incubator .
    • Diazotrophs are microorganisms that fix atmospheric nitrogen gas into a more usable form such as ammonia.
    • Cells are grown and maintained at an appropriate temperature and gas mixture of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen in a cell incubator.

  • Replication of Herpes Simplex Virus

    • The virus acquires its final envelope by budding into cytoplasmic vesicles.

  • Viral Exit

    • Another method is by accumulating the virus particles in vesicles and releasing them via exocytosis.
    • Exocytosis is the process where vesicles containing the virus are secreted/excreted out of the infected cell.

  • Detecting Acid and Gas Production

    • Culture media can be used to differentiate between different kinds of bacteria by detecting acid or gas production.
    • The Durham tube method is used to detect production of gas by microorganisms.
    • If gas is produced after inoculation and incubation, a visible gas bubble will be trapped inside the small tube.

  • Bacterial Skin Diseases

    • More severe infections can result in vesicles, bullae, and petechiae, with possible skin necrosis.

  • Magnetosomes

    • Recent research has shown that magnetosomes are invaginations of the inner membrane and not freestanding vesicles.