title: Towards a model for Flavobacterium gliding.
abstract: Cells of Flavobacterium johnsoniae, a rod-shaped bacterium about 6 μm long, do not have flagella or pili, yet they move over surfaces at speeds of about 2 μm/s. This motion is called gliding. Recent advances in F. johnsoniae research include the discovery of mobile cell-surface adhesins and rotary motors. The puzzle is how rotary motion leads to linear motion. We suggest a possible mechanism, inspired by the snowmobile.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States.
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shrivastava
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, United States. Electronic address: hberg@mcb.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Howard C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D005417:Flavobacterium / Q000502:physiology*; D008124:Locomotion; D008954:Models, Biological; D015541:Off-Road Motor Vehicles
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins