Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Flagella and Motility in Bacteria

Flagella and Motility in Bacteria

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...

Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes

Bacterial Phylum Spirochaetes

Spirochetes, unique bacteria in the phylum Spirochaetes, are gram-negative, motile, tightly coiled, slender, and flexible. They inhabit aquatic sediments and animals, with some causing diseases like syphilis. Spirochetes are classified into eight genera based on habitat, pathogenicity, phylogeny, and characteristics.Their distinctive motility arises from endoflagella, located within the cell’s periplasm. These endoflagella anchor at the cell poles and extend along the cell length, encased...

Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments

Fimbriae, Pili, and Axial Filaments

Fimbriae and pili are specialized bacterial surface structures that play pivotal roles in adhesion, genetic exchange, and motility. Composed primarily of pilin protein, these hairlike appendages are crucial for bacterial survival and pathogenicity in various environments.Fimbriae: Adhesion and PathogenicityFimbriae are fine, filamentous structures measuring 2–10 nanometers in diameter and are densely distributed on the bacterial cell surface. They facilitate bacterial adhesion to abiotic...

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules in Cell Motility

Microtubules are thick hollow cylindrical proteins that help form the cytoskeleton. Microtubules have varied roles in the cell. These filaments help form cellular appendages like cilia and flagella, which are responsible for locomotion. The cilia arise from basal bodies, separated from the main body by a membrane-like structure forming the transition zone. This zone is the gate for the entry of lipids and proteins, creating a unique composition of lipids and proteins in the ciliary membrane and...

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

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...

Surface Appendages of Archaea

Surface Appendages of Archaea

Archaeal surface appendages are highly specialized structures essential for environmental adaptation, encompassing roles in adhesion, biofilm formation, and motility. Among these appendages, pili and archaella stand out for their distinct morphologies and functionalities, enabling archaea to thrive in diverse and often extreme environments.Pili: Adhesion and Biofilm FormationPili are filamentous structures assembled from pilin protein subunits, primarily contributing to adhesion and biofilm...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A periplasmic layer formed by an outer membrane lipoprotein governs the cell-envelope integrity and stiffness of Leptospira interrogans.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

Antimicrobial activity and mechanistic insights into the tick peptide persulcatusin against vancomycin-susceptible and vancomycin-resistant <i>Enterococcus faecium</i> strains.

Frontiers in microbiology·2026

Same author

Light-activated cAMP signaling controls sodium-driven motility in <i>Vibrio cholerae</i>.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Asymmetric sheath coordination controls flagellar architecture and function in Leptospira spirochete.

The EMBO journal·2026

Same author

Design of Phosphine-Heteroarenesulfonamide Ligands as Dinuclear Silver Catalysts for Enantioselective Construction of α,β-Diamino Acids.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025

Same author

Amine-Ligated Boryl Radicals Enables Direct C─F Borylation and Cross-Couplings of Polyfluoroarenes.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions

Published on: January 18, 2017

Spirochete Flagella and Motility.

Shuichi Nakamura¹

¹Department of Applied Physics, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-05 Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579, Japan.

|April 9, 2020

Summary

Spirochetes, spiral bacteria with unique periplasmic flagella (PFs), exhibit complex motility. Understanding their physics and pathogenicity is key for antimicrobials and bio-inspired micro-robotics.

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Biophysics
Biotechnology

Background:

Spirochetes possess distinctive spiral cell bodies and periplasmic flagella (PFs).
Some spirochetes are significant human and animal pathogens.
The physics governing spirochetal motility remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To review spirochetal morphology and motility.
To summarize current knowledge on spirochete mechanisms and pathogenicity.
To explore potential applications in bio-robotics.

Main Methods:

Literature review of spirochetal morphology and motility.
Analysis of experimental biophysics data.
Discussion of host-pathogen interactions and antimicrobial development.

Keywords:

chemotaxis molecular motor motility periplasmic flagella spirochetes

More Related Videos

Investigating Flagella-Driven Motility in Escherichia coli by Applying Three Established Techniques in a Series

Investigating Flagella-Driven Motility in Escherichia coli by Applying Three Established Techniques in a Series

Published on: May 10, 2020

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

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

Published on: April 8, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions

Published on: January 18, 2017

Investigating Flagella-Driven Motility in Escherichia coli by Applying Three Established Techniques in a Series

Investigating Flagella-Driven Motility in Escherichia coli by Applying Three Established Techniques in a Series

Published on: May 10, 2020

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

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

Published on: April 8, 2016

Main Results:

Spirochetes exhibit diverse morphologies and motility patterns.
Periplasmic flagella (PFs) are crucial for spirochetal propulsion.
Viscoelasticity influences spirochetal movement.

Conclusions:

Further research into spirochetal biophysics can advance understanding of pathogenesis.
Spirochete motility mechanisms offer inspiration for micro-robot design.
Elucidating spirochetal interactions is vital for developing new antimicrobials.