A re-examination of twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Semmler, ABT; Whitchurch, CB; Mattick, JS

A re-examination of twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Semmler, ABT Whitchurch, CB

Mattick, JS

Permalink

Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Microbiology, 1999, 145 (10), pp. 2863 - 2873
Issue Date:: 1999-01-01

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	2008000886OK.pdf		674.33 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Semmler, ABT	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Whitchurch, CB https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2296-3791	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Mattick, JS	en_US
dc.date.issued	1999-01-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Microbiology, 1999, 145 (10), pp. 2863 - 2873	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1350-0872	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9650
dc.description.abstract	Twitching motility is a form of solid surface translocation which occurs in a wide range of bacteria and which is dependent on the presence of functional type IV fimbriae or pili. A detailed examination of twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa under optimal conditions in vitro was carried out. Under these conditions (at the smooth surface formed between semi-solid growth media and plastic or glass surfaces) twitching motility is extremely rapid, leading to an overall radial rate of colony expansion of 0.6 mm h-1 or greater. The zones of colony expansion due to twitching motility are very thin and are best visualized by staining. These zones exhibit concentric rings in which there is a high density of microcolonies, which may reflect periods of expansion and consolidation/cell division. Video microscopic analysis showed that twitching motility involves the initial formation of large projections or rafts of aggregated cells which move away from the colony edge. Behind the rafts, individual cells move rapidly up and down trails which thin and branch out, ultimately forming a fine lattice-like network of cells. The bacteria in the lattice network then appear to settle and divide to fill out the colonized space. Our observations redefine twitching motility as a rapid, highly organized mechanism of bacterial translocation by which P. aeruginosa can disperse itself over large areas to colonize new territories. It is also now clear, both morphologically and genetically, that twitching motility and social gliding motility, such as occurs in Myxococcus xanthus, are essentially the same process.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Microbiology	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1099/00221287-145-10-2863	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Microbiology	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Fimbriae, Bacterial	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pseudomonas aeruginosa	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Microscopy, Video	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Movement	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Time Factors	en_US
dc.title	A re-examination of twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	10	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	145	en_US
utslib.for	1108 Medical Microbiology	en_US
dc.location.activity	ISI:000083156200026	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - ithree - Institute of Infection, Immunity and Innovation
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	10	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	145	en_US

Abstract:

Twitching motility is a form of solid surface translocation which occurs in a wide range of bacteria and which is dependent on the presence of functional type IV fimbriae or pili. A detailed examination of twitching motility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa under optimal conditions in vitro was carried out. Under these conditions (at the smooth surface formed between semi-solid growth media and plastic or glass surfaces) twitching motility is extremely rapid, leading to an overall radial rate of colony expansion of 0.6 mm h-1 or greater. The zones of colony expansion due to twitching motility are very thin and are best visualized by staining. These zones exhibit concentric rings in which there is a high density of microcolonies, which may reflect periods of expansion and consolidation/cell division. Video microscopic analysis showed that twitching motility involves the initial formation of large projections or rafts of aggregated cells which move away from the colony edge. Behind the rafts, individual cells move rapidly up and down trails which thin and branch out, ultimately forming a fine lattice-like network of cells. The bacteria in the lattice network then appear to settle and divide to fill out the colonized space. Our observations redefine twitching motility as a rapid, highly organized mechanism of bacterial translocation by which P. aeruginosa can disperse itself over large areas to colonize new territories. It is also now clear, both morphologically and genetically, that twitching motility and social gliding motility, such as occurs in Myxococcus xanthus, are essentially the same process.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/9650