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Related Concept Videos

Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria01:10

Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria

Intracellular bacteria and viruses often comprise a group of highly infectious pathogens that can cause several diseases. Bacterial pathogens include those belonging to the genus Rickettsia responsible for conditions such as rocky mountain spotted fever and the Mediterranean spotted fever; Chlamydia, a genus responsible for a sexually transmitted disease; Coxiella burnetii, an agent responsible for Q fever. Viral pathogens include vaccinia—a poxvirus, and herpes simplex virus—a virus that...
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Flagella and Motility in Bacteria01:18

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Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes01:30

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa
08:44

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa

Published on: April 8, 2016

Flow directs surface-attached bacteria to twitch upstream.

Yi Shen1, Albert Siryaporn, Sigolene Lecuyer

  • 1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.

Biophysical Journal
|July 26, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa uses type IV pili retraction to move upstream against fluid flow. This unique zig-zag motility allows bacteria to colonize challenging environments.

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa
08:44

Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa

Published on: April 8, 2016

Chemotactic Response of Marine Micro-Organisms to Micro-Scale Nutrient Layers
22:38

Chemotactic Response of Marine Micro-Organisms to Micro-Scale Nutrient Layers

Published on: May 28, 2007

High-throughput Method for Observing Motility Phenotypes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
07:23

High-throughput Method for Observing Motility Phenotypes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Published on: June 20, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Bacterial Motility
  • Fluid Dynamics

Background:

  • Bacteria frequently encounter fluid flow in diverse environments, including medical and food settings.
  • Bacterial surface motility under flow conditions remains poorly understood.
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen, thrives in flow environments like respiratory tracts and catheters.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of fluid flow on Pseudomonas aeruginosa surface motility.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which P. aeruginosa navigates flow conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Observing P. aeruginosa behavior on surfaces exposed to controlled fluid flow.
  • Analyzing the role of type IV pili and associated ATPase motors (PilT, PilU) in motility.
  • Investigating the influence of surface shear stress on pili localization and cell orientation.

Main Results:

  • Surface shear stress orients P. aeruginosa cells along the flow direction.
  • Cells exhibit a zig-zag pivoting motion, migrating against the direction of fluid flow.
  • This upstream migration is mediated by the retraction of type IV pili via PilT and PilU motors.
  • Flow affects the polar localization of type IV pili, driving directed motility.

Conclusions:

  • P. aeruginosa possesses a novel mechanism for directed upstream migration in the presence of fluid flow.
  • This motility strategy, driven by type IV pili retraction, may confer a colonization advantage in flow environments.
  • Understanding this mechanism offers insights into bacterial adaptation and colonization in dynamic settings.