Distinct motors, shared mechanics: unifying principles of microbial gliding

Gliding motility is one of the more elegant tricks in the microbial playbook, allowing cells to move smoothly along an external surface. Unlike swimming in bulk fluid, gliding requires contact with a biotic or abiotic surface, imposing strong physical constraints on how forces are generated, transmitted, and dissipated. It is an active, energy-dependent process that operates without flagella, instead relying on specialized molecular machines that couple dynamic surface adhesins to motion. In this mini-review, we summarize recent advances that illuminate how distinct molecular motors converge on common mechanical principles to drive microbial gliding motility.