Article
Biology
Hiroaki Ishikawa, Jeremy Moore, Dennis R. Diener, Markus Delling, Wallace F. Marshall, Lotte B. Pedersen
Summary: This study investigates the length regulation of flagella and its impact on carrier transport. Although the concentration of calcium ions inside the flagella is weakly correlated with flagellar length, experiments demonstrate that calcium ions do not serve as the basis for a stable length control system.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lijuan Zhao, Haibo Xie, Yunsi Kang, Yiwen Lin, Gai Liu, Miho Sakato-Antoku, Ramila S. Patel-King, Bing Wang, Cuihong Wan, Stephen M. King, Chengtian Zhao, Kaiyao Huang
Summary: CYB5D1 protein plays a crucial role in the coordinated beating of multiple cilia by regulating the redox state of cilia.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elena A. Zehr, Antonina Roll-Mecak
Summary: Two separate studies have reported high-resolution structures of the almost complete central apparatus, providing insights into the mechanism of ciliary beating and advancing our molecular understanding of cilia architecture and function.
NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Yunjie Chang, Hui Xu, Md A. Motaleb, Jun Liu
Summary: Researchers have discovered a multiprotein collar complex in Lyme disease spirochetes, which exhibits remarkable structural plasticity to accommodate the highly curved membrane and generate the high torque necessary for spirochete motility.
Article
Plant Sciences
Michael Hammond, Martin Zoltner, Jack Garrigan, Erin Butterfield, Vladimir Varga, Julius Lukes, Mark C. Field
Summary: Through proteomic analysis of the flagella of Euglena gracilis, unexpected similarities with mammalian flagella and a vast array of signal transduction components coordinating motility were identified. The significant adaptations within the flagellum of E. gracilis, linked to its highly flexible lifestyle, were also revealed.
Article
Microbiology
Julian Schwanbeck, Ines Oehmig, Uwe Gross, Wolfgang Bohne
Summary: This study systematically investigated the effect of various amino acids and carbohydrates on the swimming velocity of Clostridioides difficile. It was found that proline and cysteine are the most important amino acids for powering swimming motility, while glycine is not critical. Additionally, a maximal swimming motility can be achieved with only four compounds, including specific amino acids and interchangeable carbohydrate sources.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kogiku Shiba, Kazuo Inaba
Summary: Flagellar motility in sperm is activated and regulated by factors related to the eggs at fertilization. In this study, the researchers focused on the role of soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) in the regulation of flagellar motility in Ciona sperm chemotaxis. The results showed that sAC plays a key role in sperm chemotaxis by regulating the clearance of intracellular calcium ions ([Ca2+]i) and modulating Ca2+-dependent flagellar waveform conversion.
Article
Cell Biology
Yue Wang, Jun Yang, Fangheng Hu, Yuchen Yang, Kaiyao Huang, Kai Zhang
Summary: This study presents a high-resolution cryo-EM structure of mastigonemes from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii flagella and provides insights into their assembly mechanism and potential roles in adaptive responses. The mastigoneme structure affects specific swimming properties under varied environmental conditions. These findings illuminate the potential role of mastigonemes in flagellar motility and environmental responses.
JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Tomohiro Kubo, Yuma Tani, Haru-Aki Yanagisawa, Masahide Kikkawa, Toshiyuki Oda
Summary: The glutamate-rich region at the C-terminal tails of alpha- and beta-tubulin plays important roles in cilia formation and function. Post-translational modifications of the glutamate residues in this region affect ciliary motility and the assembly of cilia.
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ixchell Y. Sedillo-Torres, alvaro O. Hernandez-Rangel, Yolanda Gomez-y-Gomez, Daniel Cortes-Avalos, Blanca Estela Garcia-Perez, Juan C. Villalobos-Rocha, Cesar H. Hernandez-Rodriguez, Luis Gerardo Zepeda-Vallejo, Paulina Estrada-de los Santos, Maria Elena Vargas-Diaz, Jose Antonio Ibarra
Summary: An organic extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. containing hibiscus acid was found to inhibit motility and reduce the secretion of virulence factors in Salmonella enterica serovars Typhi and Typhimurium. The compound was not toxic to eukaryotic cells and could reduce the invasion of Salmonella Typhimurium in epithelial cells. Initial studies suggested that the mode of action of hibiscus acid might involve the disruption of membrane proton balance.
Article
Microbiology
Claudia A. Cox, Marek Bogacz, Faiha M. El Abbar, Darren D. Browning, Brian Y. Hsueh, Chris M. Waters, Vincent T. Lee, Stuart A. Thompson
Summary: Campylobacter jejuni is a leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis and is associated with various extragastrointestinal conditions. The study found that CbrR is a negative regulator that controls motility and the expression of FlaA, a critical virulence factor in C. jejuni pathogenesis.
Review
Cell Biology
Ryosuke Yamamoto, Juyeon Hwang, Takashi Ishikawa, Takahide Kon, Winfield S. Sale
Summary: Motile cilia, also known as flagella, are essential organelles in many animal cells, responsible for cell motility and environmental sensing. Ciliary dyneins, including outer and inner dynein arms, play a crucial role in the movement, force generation, and waveform control of cilia. Recent studies have uncovered connections between inner dynein arms and human diseases, while further research is needed to fully understand their complex composition and functions.
Article
Microbiology
Jing Chen, Beiyan Nan
Summary: This article discusses the similarities and differences between the gliding mechanism of Myxococcus xanthus bacteria and the bacterial flagellar motor, and uses biophysical principles to propose hypotheses about the operating mechanism, efficiency, sensitivity to control, and mechanosensing of M. xanthus gliding.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yu Hou, Yuko Bando, David Carrasco Flores, Vivien Hotter, Ritam Das, Bastian Schiweck, Tommy Melzer, Hans-Dieter Arndt, Maria Mittag
Summary: The antagonistic bacterium Pseudomonas protegens secretes the cyclic lipopeptide orfamide A, which triggers a Ca2+ signal causing rapid deflagellation of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. By investigating targeted synthetic orfamide A derivatives, the researchers found that the N-terminal amino acids of the linear part and the terminal fatty acid region are important for the specificity of the Ca2+ signal causing deflagellation.
Article
Microbiology
Antonio Leal-Morales, Marta Pulido-Sanchez, Aroa Lopez-Sanchez, Fernando Govantes
Summary: This study elucidates the transcriptional organization and regulation of flagellar genes in the Pseudomonas putida genome. The synthesis of flagellar apparatus and chemotaxis machinery is regulated by a three-tier cascade, revealing the complexity and importance of the flagellar system in environmental pseudomonads.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)