Bacterial twitching motility is coordinated by a two-dimensional tug-of-war with directional memory

Rahul Marathe, Claudia Meel, Nora C. Schmidt, Lena Dewenter, Rainer Kurre, Lilo Greune, M. Alexander Schmidt, Melanie J.I. Müller, Reinhard Lipowsky, Berenike Maier () and Stefan Klumpp ()
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Rahul Marathe: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm
Claudia Meel: University of Cologne
Nora C. Schmidt: University of Cologne
Lena Dewenter: University of Cologne
Rainer Kurre: University of Cologne
Lilo Greune: Institute of Infectiology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster
M. Alexander Schmidt: Institute of Infectiology, Center for Molecular Biology of Inflammation, University of Münster
Melanie J.I. Müller: FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University
Reinhard Lipowsky: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm
Berenike Maier: University of Cologne
Stefan Klumpp: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, Science Park Golm

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Type IV pili are ubiquitous bacterial motors that power surface motility. In peritrichously piliated species, it is unclear how multiple pili are coordinated to generate movement with directional persistence. Here we use a combined theoretical and experimental approach to test the hypothesis that multiple pili of Neisseria gonorrhoeae are coordinated through a tug-of-war. Based on force-dependent unbinding rates and pilus retraction speeds measured at the level of single pili, we build a tug-of-war model. Whereas the one-dimensional model robustly predicts persistent movement, the two-dimensional model requires a mechanism of directional memory provided by re-elongation of fully retracted pili and pilus bundling. Experimentally, we confirm memory in the form of bursts of pilus retractions. Bursts are seen even with bundling suppressed, indicating re-elongation from stable core complexes as the key mechanism of directional memory. Directional memory increases the surface range explored by motile bacteria and likely facilitates surface colonization.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4759

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