gas vesicle

GO:0031411 · INCLUSION · PROTEIN_SHELLED_ORGANELLE · PROPOSED

A gas-filled, non-membrane-bounded protein organelle, usually shaped as a cylindrical shell with conical end caps. Its gas-permeable, water-excluding wall lowers cell density and enables buoyancy regulation in aquatic microbes. [PMID:8177173]

Synonyms: gas vacuole

Components

Component	Type	Grounding	Genes	Stoichiometry	Essential	Role
major gas vesicle protein GvpA	PROTEIN		gvpA		ESSENTIAL	Forms the ribbed, gas-permeable structural shell. `PMID:22147705` Solid-state NMR supports cross-beta assembly of the GvpA shell.
gas vesicle strengthening protein GvpC	PROTEIN		gvpC		CONDITIONAL	Strengthens the shell against collapse in characterized systems. `PMID:8177173` Walsby reviews GvpC-dependent strengthening.

Taxonomic distribution

NCBITaxon:2 Bacteria — VARIABLE: Occurs in several bacterial phyla, especially aquatic phototrophs. [PMID:8177173]
NCBITaxon:2157 Archaea — VARIABLE: Also occurs in multiple archaeal groups, including haloarchaea. [PMID:8177173]

Functions

buoyancy regulation — Changing gas-vesicle content lets aquatic microbes alter vertical position.
- PMID:8177173 Gas vesicles provide buoyancy and enable vertical migration.

Evidence

PMID:8177173 Walsby 1994 comprehensive review.
PMID:22147705 Belenky et al. 2012 structural evidence for the GvpA shell.

Curation history

2026-08-30T19:30:00Z codex · CREATED_RECORD — Added as a literature-backed foundational seed. Identity checked against the 2026-07-01 Gene Ontology release; requires human review.

Source: data/structures/inclusion/gas_vesicle.yaml