Bidirectional bacterial gliding motility powered by the collective transport of cell surface proteins.
The gliding motility of Flavobacterium johnsoniae is driven by moving surface adhesive proteins. Recently, these motility components were observed to travel along a closed loop on the cell surface. The mechanism by which such moving surface adhesins give rise to cell motion remains unknown. On the basis of the unique motility properties of F. johnsoniae, we present a generic model for bidirectional motion of rigidly coupled adhesins, which are propelled in opposite directions. Using analytical and numerical methods, we demonstrate that, for a sufficiently large adhesin speed, bidirectional motion arises from spontaneous symmetry breaking. The model also predicts that, close to the bifurcation point, a weak asymmetry in the binding dynamics is sufficient to facilitate directed motility, indicating that the direction of motion could be sensitively regulated internally in response to inhomogeneity of the environment.
Department of Physics, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu, 525-8577 Shiga, Japan.
Hirofumi
H
Wada
Department of Physics, Gakushuin University, Toshima, 171-8588 Tokyo, Japan.
Daisuke
D
Nakane
Department of Physics, National Central University, Jhongli, 32001 Taiwan, Republic of China; Physics Division, National Center for Theoretical Sciences, Hsinchu, 30113 Taiwan, Republic of China and Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan, Republic of China.
Hsuan-Yi
HY
Chen
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D005417:Flavobacterium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*
D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D008565:Membrane Proteins