Hairlike extensions responsible for movement: bacteria

1 of 1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Louisa Howar.. / License

Some bacteria move by attaching and then retracting pili through their outer membranes.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Move or stay put >
	Move >
	In/on solids

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Nanoscale wires.

> Visit strategy page

[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Gliding motion across surfaces, usually with slime--whether or not by the same scheme--occurs in procaryotic organisms (bacteria and their kin) as well. It's based on either of two mechanisms. Bacteria are often covered with tiny hairs, pili; retraction of one type (designated IV) through their outer membranes can move them around. Alternatively, they can secrete carbohydrate slime rearward to get a push (Kaiser 2000; Merz and Forest 2002)." (Vogel 2003:450)

About the inspiring organism

Bacteria
Bacteria

Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Nanoscale wires.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Nanotechnology

Experts

Department of Biochemistry
A. Dale Kaiser (Emeritus)
Stanford University School of Medicine

Department of Bacteriology
Katrina Forest
University of Wisconsin--Madison

References

Steven Vogel. 2003. Comparative Biomechanics: Life's Physical World. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 580 p.

Kaiser, D. 2000. Bacterial motility: how do pili pull?. Current Biology. 10(21): R777-R780.

Merz, AJ; Forest, KT. 2002. Bacterial surface motility: slime trails, grappling hooks, and nozzles. Current Biology. 12: R297-R303.

Hairlike extensions responsible for movement: bacteria

Content tools

Curator of this page

Comments