title: Analyzing bacterial movements on surfaces.
abstract: Bacteria have long been ideal model systems for studying many biological phenomena. But when it comes to motility, we are quite often just figuring out the mechanisms underlying their ability to move in liquid or on surfaces. In the last few decades, research has emphasized the importance for bacteria to be able to adhere to and move on surfaces in order to form complex bacterial communities called biofilms. To better understand the multiple chemical and biophysical mechanisms responsible for the initial interactions of bacteria on surfaces that develop into biofilms, we present here low-cost and easy-to-implement protocols to quantitatively analyze the movement of single bacteria on surfaces by microscopy. These protocols are presented in the case of the human pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae that moves on surfaces solely powered by Type IV pili, motility referred to as twitching motility. These methods, however, are applicable for any motile bacteria interacting with surfaces. The precise quantification of motility coupled with genetic tools will enable us to precisely dissect the mechanisms and dynamics of bacterial surface motility which are still poorly understood.
authors: Brooklyn College CUNY, Biology Department, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
authors: E Laura
authors: EL
authors: Munteanu
authors: Brooklyn College CUNY, Biology Department, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Spielman
authors: Brooklyn College CUNY, Biology Department, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Graduate Center of CUNY, New York, NY, USA.
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Biais
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D009068:Movement; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000166:cytology*; D013499:Surface Properties
keywords: Bacterial motility; Biofilms; Neisseria genus; Single-particle tracking; Twitching motility; Type IV pili