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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...
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Chemotaxis in Escherichia coli is a sensory-driven motility mechanism that enables bacteria to navigate chemical gradients, moving toward beneficial environments while avoiding harmful conditions. This process relies on a signal transduction system integrating external chemical cues with flagellar motor control.Chemoreceptors and Signal DetectionE. coli detects chemical gradients through methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs), which are membrane-bound chemoreceptors that sense attractants...
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Control of Helical Navigation by Three-Dimensional Flagellar Beating.

Dario Cortese1, Kirsty Y Wan1

  • 1Living Systems Institute and College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD, United Kingdom.

Physical Review Letters
|March 12, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Area of Science:

  • Cellular motility
  • Biophysics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Helical swimming is a common strategy for motile cells to sense their environment.
  • The mechanism behind the rotation of the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during swimming is not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the mechanism of helical swimming and axial rotation in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
  • To investigate the role of flagellar beating patterns in cell rotation and tactic responses.

Main Methods:

  • High-speed imaging and micromanipulation of live Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells.
  • Development of a fully 3D computational model to simulate flagellar beating and swimming trajectories.

Main Results:

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  • The rolling motion of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is caused by a persistent, nonplanar flagellar beat pattern.
  • The 3D model accurately reproduces the observed sense and magnitude of axial rotation.
  • Symmetry breaking between the two flagella is essential for helical swimming and tactic responses.

    • Conclusions:

    • The nonplanar flagellar beat pattern is the primary driver of helical swimming in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
    • Differential flagellar function underlies tactic responses, such as phototaxis.
    • Cells can control their direction by modulating flagellar dominance.