How Bacteria Use Type IV Pili Machinery on Surfaces.
The bacterial type IV pilus (T4P) is a versatile molecular machine with a broad range of functions. Recent advances revealed that the molecular components and the biophysical properties of the machine are well conserved among phylogenetically distant bacterial species. However, its functions are diverse, and include adhesion, motility, and horizontal gene transfer. This review focusses on the role of T4P in surface motility and bacterial interactions. Different species have evolved distinct mechanisms for intracellular coordination of multiple pili and of pili with other motility machines, ranging from physical coordination to biochemical clocks. Coordinated behavior between multiple bacteria on a surface is achieved by active manipulation of surfaces and modulation of pilus-pilus interactions. An emerging picture is that the T4P actively senses and responds to environmental conditions.
Department of Physics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Str. 77, 50937 Köln, Germany. Electronic address: berenike.maier@uni-koeln.de.
Berenike
B
Maier
Department of Bioengineering, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California Nano Systems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1600, USA.
Gerard C L
GCL
Wong
D001419:Bacteria / Q000166:cytology*; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion / Q000502:physiology; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D036781:Fimbriae Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010861:Fimbriae, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009154:Mutation; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
D036781:Fimbriae Proteins
EPS; molecular force; molecular machine; twitching motility