F-pili dynamics by live-cell imaging
| Autor: | Robin L. Harris, Margaret Clarke, Lucinda Maddera, Philip M. Silverman |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2008 |
| Předmět: |
Multidisciplinary
Staining and Labeling Fimbria Biological Sciences Biology biology.organism_classification medicine.disease_cause Pilus Microbiology Cell biology Protein filament F Factor chemistry.chemical_compound Imaging Three-Dimensional Plasmid chemistry Live cell imaging Fimbriae Bacterial Escherichia coli medicine Bacteria DNA Fluorescent Dyes |
| Zdroj: | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 105:17978-17981 |
| ISSN: | 1091-6490 0027-8424 |
| DOI: | 10.1073/pnas.0806786105 |
| Popis: | Bacteria have evolved numerous mechanisms for cell–cell communication, many of which have important consequences for human health. Among these is conjugation, the direct transfer of DNA from one cell to another. For Gram-negative bacteria, conjugation requires thin, flexible filaments (conjugative pili) that are elaborated by DNA donor cells. The structure, function, and especially the dynamics of conjugative pili are poorly understood. Here, we have applied live-cell imaging to characterize the dynamics of F-pili (conjugative pili encoded by the F plasmid of Escherichia coli ). We establish that F-pili normally undergo cycles of extension and retraction in the absence of any obvious triggering event, such as contact with a recipient cell. When made, such contacts are able to survive the shear forces felt by bacteria in liquid media. Our data emphasize the role of F-pilus flexibility both in efficiently sampling a large volume surrounding donor cells in liquid culture and in establishing and maintaining cell–cell contact. Additionally and unexpectedly, we infer that extension and retraction are accompanied by rotation about the long axis of the filament. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|