Abstract
If a bacterium has motility, it will use the ability to survive and thrive. For many pathogenic species, their motilities are a crucial virulence factor. The form of motility varies among the species. Some use flagella for swimming in liquid, and others use the cell-surface machinery to move over solid surfaces. Spirochetes are distinguished from other bacterial species by their helical or flat wave morphology and periplasmic flagella (PFs). It is believed that the rotation of PFs beneath the outer membrane causes transformation or rolling of the cell body, propelling the spirochetes. Interestingly, some spirochetal species exhibit motility both in liquid and over surfaces, but it is not fully unveiled how the spirochete pathogenicity involves such amphibious motility. This review focuses on the causative agent of zoonosis leptospirosis and discusses the significance of their motility in liquid and on surfaces, called crawling, as a virulence factor.
Highlights
Many species of bacteria have motility operated with diverse mechanisms [1,2]
Spirochetes are a group of Gram-negative bacteria and include pathogenic species, such as Treponema pallidum, Treponema denticola, Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), and Leptospira interrogans
This review article summarized the current knowledge on Leptospira motility while focusing on its association with pathogenicity
Summary
Many species of bacteria have motility operated with diverse mechanisms [1,2]. The flagellum is one of the major motility organs that are used by Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Helicobacter pylori, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and others [3]. P. aeruginosa and unicellular cyanobacteria show motility on surfaces using extension and contraction of pili [6,7]. These bacteria rely on motility for navigation to explore preferred environments for growing, and pathogenic species utilize this ability for invading hosts [8,9]. Spirochetes are a group of Gram-negative bacteria and include pathogenic species, such as Treponema pallidum (syphilis), Treponema denticola (periodontal disease), Brachyspira hyodysenteriae (swine dysentery), Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), and Leptospira interrogans (leptospirosis). The spirochetes exhibit helical (e.g., Leptospira spp.) or flat-wave (e.g., Borrelia spp.) cell morphology and have multiple flagella within the periplasmic space. This review will focus on the two distinct modes of Leptospira motility and discuss their significance for pathogenicity
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