It's not all about flagella - sticky invasion by pathogenic spirochetes

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Updated: Jun 29, 2025

Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia
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Cultivation Methods of Spirochetes from Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Lato Complex and Relapsing Fever Borrelia

Published on: November 25, 2022

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Martin Strnad1, Nobuo Koizumi2, Shuichi Nakamura3

  • 1Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre CAS, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.

Trends in Parasitology
|March 24, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Pathogenic spirochetes use surface molecules, not just flagella, for movement. These adhesive molecules and their host interactions are crucial for spirochete migration and disease spread.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogen Biology
  • Cellular Motility

Background:

  • Pathogenic spirochetes cause significant human diseases like Lyme disease and syphilis.
  • Spirochetal motility, driven by flagella, is considered a key virulence factor.
  • The prevailing view considers spirochetes as passive elastic bodies, with flagella as the sole drivers of locomotion.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of surface-exposed adhesive molecules in spirochetal motility.
  • To challenge the traditional understanding of spirochete locomotion mechanisms.
  • To highlight the contribution of host-pathogen interactions to spirochetal migration.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of spirochetal surface structures.
  • Investigation of adhesive molecule-host molecule interactions.
  • Microscopy and biomechanical assays to observe spirochetal movement.

Main Results:

  • Spirochetal surface-exposed adhesive molecules significantly contribute to cell motility.
  • Dynamic interactions between spirochetal adhesins and host molecules influence migration.
  • Spirochete cell body mechanics play an active role in locomotion, not just passive elasticity.

Conclusions:

  • Spirochetal locomotion is a complex process involving both flagella and surface adhesins.
  • Surface adhesins and their interactions with the host are critical for spirochetal dissemination.
  • The spirochetal cell body is an active participant in locomotion, challenging previous models.
Keywords:
adhesionflagellapathogenesisspirochetestranslational motility

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