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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Light-driven Molecular Motors on Surfaces for Single Molecular Imaging
Published on: March 13, 2019
Molecular Motors Govern Liquidlike Ordering and Fusion Dynamics of Bacterial Colonies
Anton Welker1, Tom Cronenberg1, Robert Zöllner1
1Institute for Biological Physics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Straße 77, 50937 Köln, Germany.
Abstract:
Bacteria can adjust the structure of colonies and biofilms to enhance their survival rate under external stress. Here, we explore the link between bacterial interaction forces and colony structure. We show that the activity of extracellular pilus motors enhances local ordering and accelerates fusion dynamics of bacterial colonies. The radial distribution function of mature colonies shows local fluidlike order. The degree and dynamics of ordering are dependent on motor activity. At a larger scale, the fusion dynamics of two colonies shows liquidlike behavior whereby motor activity strongly affects surface tension and viscosity.
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