Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Microbiology

All in the packaging

Nature volume 419, pages 676–677 (2002)Cite this article

Certain bacteria generate highly toxic intermediates as part of their metabolism. Membranes with an unprecedented lipid composition and structure apparently meet the need for containment.

Lipid membranes form the major barrier that distinguishes 'self' from 'non-self', and they are essential for keeping cellular components inside a cell and toxins outside it. They are also active participants in the energy and transport processes necessary for cell growth and survival. The cells of eukaryotes (all animals, plants, protists and fungi) also house membrane-bound structures called organelles, which have specialized functions — for example, energy production in mitochondria and photosynthesis in chloroplasts.

Your institute does not have access to this article

Access options

Buy article

Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube.

$32.00

Buy

All prices are NET prices.

Figure 1: Bacteria with a difference.

References

  1. Damsté, J. S. S. et al. Nature 419, 708–712 (2002).

    ADS  Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Strous, M. et al. Nature 400, 446–449 (1999).

    ADS  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. van de Graaf, A. A. et al. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 61, 1246–1251 (1995).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Jetten, M. S. et al. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 22, 421–437 (1998).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Strous, M., Kuenen, J. G. & Jetten, M. S. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 65, 3248–3250 (1999).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Jetten, M. S. et al. Curr. Opin. Biotechnol. 12, 283–288 (2001).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Broda, E. Z. Allg. Mikrobiol. 17, 491–493 (1977).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mulder, A. et al. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 16, 177–183 (1995).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lindsay, M. R. et al. Arch. Microbiol. 175, 413–429 (2001).

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Haldane, J. B. S. in Origin of Life (ed. Bernal, J. D.) 242–249 (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1967).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Woese, C. R. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 97, 8392–8396 (2000).

    ADS  CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, 95039, California, USA

    Edward F. DeLong

Authors
  1. Edward F. DeLong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward F. DeLong.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

DeLong, E. All in the packaging. Nature 419, 676–677 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/419676a

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/419676a

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing