Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 31, 2026
06:04
Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Specific Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Published on: February 24, 2023
3.0K
Gliding Direction of Mycoplasma mobile
Hanako Morio1, Taishi Kasai1, Makoto Miyata2
1Graduate School of Science and OCU Advanced Research Institute for Natural Science and Technology (OCARINA), Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan.
Journal of Bacteriology
|October 28, 2015
Summary
Mycoplasma mobile uses a unique leg mechanism to glide, with most cells showing a leftward motion. This bacterial gliding direction is influenced by factors like viscosity and sialyllactose concentration.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Bacterial Motility
- Cellular Mechanics
Background:
- Mycoplasmas are parasitic bacteria, some of which exhibit gliding motility.
- This motility involves a unique mechanism where cellular legs interact with solid surfaces.
- The precise directionality and mechanics of Mycoplasma gliding have not been fully elucidated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the gliding direction of Mycoplasma mobile under various conditions.
- To investigate the underlying machinery and mechanism responsible for Mycoplasma gliding.
- To understand how external factors influence the directionality of bacterial movement.
Main Methods:
- Observation of Mycoplasma mobile gliding under different conditions (viscosity, sialyllactose concentration).
- Analysis of gliding direction and trajectory using microscopy.
- Experimentation with permeabilized cells ('gliding ghosts') to study propulsion.
Main Results:
- A significant majority (77%) of Mycoplasma mobile cells exhibited leftward gliding.
- Cellular gliding direction was influenced by viscosity and the presence of sialyllactose, which affects leg binding.
- Permeabilized cells glided more straightly, suggesting specific cellular components are key to directional control.
Conclusions:
- Mycoplasma gliding machinery is likely arranged helically around the cell.
- Legs extend through thermal fluctuations to bind sialylated oligosaccharides.
- Propulsion force is generated by these legs, tilted left or right relative to the cell axis in a majority of cells.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes
584
The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
584
01:10Intracellular Movement of Viruses and Bacteria
3.8K
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...
3.8K
01:21Chemotaxis and Direction of Cell Migration
6.2K
Cells can detect chemical cues in their environment and reorganize the cytoskeleton to migrate toward them or away from them. This directional migration, called chemotaxis, is essential during embryogenesis and development, immune response, tissue repair and regeneration, and reproduction. These chemical cues can either attract or repel the cell's movement. For example, axon development is determined by a combination of chemoattractants and chemorepellents that direct the growing axon...
6.2K
01:18Flagella and Motility in Bacteria
5.0K
Flagella are specialized, thread-like structures that extend from a bacteria's cell envelope. They play a crucial role in motility and chemotaxis. Their structural organization and functioning exemplify sophisticated biological engineering, enabling bacterial survival and adaptability in diverse environments.Structure of the FlagellumA bacterial flagellum consists of three key components: the filament, the hook, and basal body. The filament, a long, helical structure composed of repeating...
5.0K
01:18Role of Myosin in Cell Migration
3.7K
Myosins are multimeric motor proteins involved in various cellular processes such as migration, adhesion, and proliferation. Myosin II is the most common type in animal cells, which binds and cross-links actin filaments.
Myosin II is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction....
Myosin II is a hexamer comprising two heavy chains with globular heads and coiled-coil tails, two regulatory light chains, and two essential light chains. The ATPase sites on the myosin heads hydrolyze ATP, and the released phosphate generates the force for contraction....
3.7K
01:05Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
5.8K
The ciliary structures were first seen in 1647 by Antonie Leeuwenhoek while observing the protozoans. In lower organisms, these appendages are responsible for cell movement, while in higher organisms, these appendages help in the movement of the extracellular fluids within the body cavities.
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
5.8K