Marathe, Rahul, Meel, Claudia, Schmidt, Nora C., Dewenter, Lena, Kurre, Rainer, Greune, Lilo, Schmidt, M. Alexander, Mueller, Melanie J. I., Lipowsky, Reinhard ORCID: 0000-0001-8417-8567, Maier, Berenike ORCID: 0000-0001-6971-9927 and Klumpp, Stefan ORCID: 0000-0003-0584-2146 (2014). Bacterial twitching motility is coordinated by a two-dimensional tug-of-war with directional memory. Nat. Commun., 5. LONDON: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. ISSN 2041-1723

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Abstract

Type IV pili are ubiquitous bacterial motors that power surface motility. In peritrichously piliated species, it is unclear how multiple pili are coordinated to generate movement with directional persistence. Here we use a combined theoretical and experimental approach to test the hypothesis that multiple pili of Neisseria gonorrhoeae are coordinated through a tug-of-war. Based on force-dependent unbinding rates and pilus retraction speeds measured at the level of single pili, we build a tug-of-war model. Whereas the one-dimensional model robustly predicts persistent movement, the two-dimensional model requires a mechanism of directional memory provided by re-elongation of fully retracted pili and pilus bundling. Experimentally, we confirm memory in the form of bursts of pilus retractions. Bursts are seen even with bundling suppressed, indicating re-elongation from stable core complexes as the key mechanism of directional memory. Directional memory increases the surface range explored by motile bacteria and likely facilitates surface colonization.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Marathe, RahulUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Meel, ClaudiaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Schmidt, Nora C.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Dewenter, LenaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Kurre, RainerUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Greune, LiloUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Schmidt, M. AlexanderUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Mueller, Melanie J. I.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Lipowsky, ReinhardUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0001-8417-8567UNSPECIFIED
Maier, BerenikeUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0001-6971-9927UNSPECIFIED
Klumpp, StefanUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0003-0584-2146UNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-438769
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4759
Journal or Publication Title: Nat. Commun.
Volume: 5
Date: 2014
Publisher: NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Place of Publication: LONDON
ISSN: 2041-1723
Language: English
Faculty: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Divisions: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences > Department of Physics > Institut für Biologische Physik
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
IV PILUS SYSTEM; NATURAL TRANSFORMATION; NEISSERIA-GONORRHOEAE; CARGO TRANSPORT; MOTORS; TRANSCRIPTION; COMPETENCE; RETRACTION; COMPONENTS; MECHANISMMultiple languages
Multidisciplinary SciencesMultiple languages
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/43876

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