Multiple pilus motors cooperate for persistent bacterial movement in two dimensions

Phys Rev Lett. 2010 Apr 30;104(17):178104. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.178104. Epub 2010 Apr 28.

Abstract

In various bacterial species surface motility is mediated by cycles of type IV pilus motor elongation, adhesion, and retraction, but it is unclear whether bacterial movement follows a random walk. Here we show that the correlation time of persistent movement in Neisseria gonorrhoeae increases with the number of pili. The unbinding force of individual pili from the surface F=10 pN was considerably lower than the stalling force F>100 pN, suggesting that density, force, and adhesive properties of the pilus motor enable a tug-of-war mechanism for bacterial movement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Adhesion / physiology
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Fimbriae, Bacterial / chemistry
  • Fimbriae, Bacterial / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological*
  • Movement*
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / cytology
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / metabolism*
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / physiology
  • Phosphatidylcholines / chemistry
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine / chemistry

Substances

  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Serum Albumin, Bovine
  • 1,2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine