title: Multiple pilus motors cooperate for persistent bacterial movement in two dimensions.
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.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekulare Zellbiologie, Schlossplatz 5, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holz
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Opitz
authors.forename: Lilo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Greune
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurre
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koomey
authors.forename: M Alexander
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Berenike
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maier
mesh_terms: D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000737:chemistry; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; C017251:1,2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine