Chemokinesis And Spirochaetes: Predatory Bacteria

See Table 1 and Flow Chart 1 for results of Bacteria # 1 and Table 2 and Flow Chart 2 for results of Bacteria # 2.

- H. pylori has 4 to 6 "lophotrichous flagella" which are its favor in motility. Usually, the

Once N. meningitidis has encountered a healthy host it uses its type IV pilus to protrude from the capsule and bind epithelial cells and erythrocytes within the mucosal surface. The pili also generate what is known as a twitch motility which allows the bacterium to pass the epithelial layer and invade the host.

Since microorganisms are not visible to the eye, the essential tool in microbiology is the microscope. One of the first to use a microscope to observe microorganisms was Robert Hooke, the English biologist who observed algae and fungi in the 1660s. In the 1670s, “Anton van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch merchant, constructed a number of simple microscopes and observed details of numerous forms of protozoa, fungi, and bacteria” (Introduction to Microscopes, n.d.). During the 1700s, microscopes were used to further explore on the microbial world, and by the late 1800s, the light microscope had been developed. “The electron microscope was developed in the 1940s, thus

“While motility is commonplace among the prokaryotes, it is important to note the variety of structures responsible for motility. These structures vary depending not only on the organism in question, but also on the particular environment” (Bardy, Ng, & Jarrell, 2003). “Study of the bacterial flagellum has provided insights into many aspects of prokaryotic cellular activities including genetics and regulation, physiology, environmental sensing, protein secretion and assembly of complex structures” (Bardy, Ng, & Jarrell, 2003). “Continued study of all prokaryotic motility structures will provide knowledge that is likely to reach far beyond the topic of motility and pathogenicity” (Bardy, Ng,

Prokaryotes are ubiquitous, successfully adapting to diverse environments as well as developing symbiotic relationships with host organisms (Lengeler, Drews, & Schlegel, 1999). Prokaryotes may have both autotrophic and heterotrophic characteristics. A cyanobacteria is photosynthetic, commonly called blue-green algae, and may produce toxins (Crayton, 1993). Bacteria are most commonly associated in the general

Bacteria have several different types of pili, known and classified based on their structure and assembly. Similarly, archaea have different appendages that

The spread of the BB bacteria into the central nervous system varies in incidence and speed between individuals, but when it does happen the spirochaetes (bacteria that have a distinctive spiral shape and under magnification look like little telephone cords or corkscrews) may

This was hypothesised as the Buchnera does not have any motor protein genes in its genome, however there are many flagella-like structures covering the cell therefore acting as secretion systems. The regulation of the synthesis of essential amino acids by Buchnera is not understood in great detail but it is believed that it is controlled by the amount of precursors made available to the bacteria from the host cell. These precursors include glucose as a carbon source, four non-essential amino acids, serine, aspartate, glutamate and glutamine, to act as precursors for the essential amino acids and guanosine nucleotides which are involved in purine synthesis. Varying the concentrations and availability of these compounds gives the host cell the ability to control and coordinate Buchnera activity.

Bacterial endospores are dormant, non-reproductive, and sometimes disease-causing cell structures that are typically formed in Gram-positive bacteria under a process called sporulation. Endospores exhibit high resistance to environmental stresses, and these structures are able to resist conditions that are unfavourable to most organisms, enabling bacteria to lie dormant for extended periods of time (hundreds to thousands of years). In addition, endospores are highly durable, as dormant spores return to an actively growing state a process called germination) when nutrients return to their environment.

Bacillus subtilis is rod-shaped and has the ability to form a tough, protective endospore, allow the organism to tolerate extreme conditions. Some uses of Bacillus subtilis includes using as a model organism for laboratory studies. It can also be genetically modified to convert explosives into harmless compound of nitrogen, water and carbon dioxide. (Wikipedia, 2010)

In this laboratory experiment, we was introduce to an introduction to streaking and spreading of bacteria in agar plates such that single cells can be isolated from one another, each cell can reproduces to form a visible colony composed of genetically identical clones. Streaking and spreading bacteria is to obtain individual colonies is usually the first step in genetic manipulation of microorganisms.

Pathogenic L. monocytogenes go through an intracellular life cycle involving early escape from the phagocytic vacuole, rapid intracytoplasmic multiplication, bacterially induced actin-based motility, and direct spread to neighboring cells, in which they reinitiate the cycle. The bacterium is first phagocytosed by these cells and secretes a pore-forming toxin called listeriolysin, which allows the bacterium to escape from the phagosome. All virulent strains of L. monocytogenes synthesize and secrete listeriolysin. Phospholipase A and B are other virulence factors that facilitate escape of L. monocytogenes from the phagosome. Once out of the phagosome L. monocytogenes is capable of rapid division in the cytoplasm, evading the immune response and moving throughout the cytoplasm from cell to cell. L. monocytogenes is well known for its ability to propel itself like a rocket through the cell cytoplasm. This is the result of the bacterium’s ability to polymerize actin filaments at its tail end. Actin is arranged in subunits to form microfilaments that are capable of directing cell movement. L. monocytogenes accomplishes cell motility through a virulence factor called ActA that takes advantage of normal actin polymerization going on in the cell. The ActA protein shares sequence homology with a protein called WASP that is found in virtually all eukaryotic cells. WASP is responsible for recognizing and

The bacterium evolved by loosing its genes converting it from a free-living microbe into a pathogen. It needs the host’s nutrients in order to survive. The bacterium latches itself onto the host epithelial cells by a 160 kDa type 1 pilli. The pilli, located on a specific organelle on the polar region of the

Although both Archaeal and bacterial cells possess flagella for motility, the composition of each organism’s flagellum is very different. In bacterial cell, the flagellum is composed of a basal body, external protein filaments both are joined together by a third component called the hook.(Bacteria Flagella David Gene Morgan , Shahid Khan). In Archaeal, the protein filament is polymerised, glycosylated and very much thinner. The Archaeal flagellum is believed to be similar to the bacteria IV pilus in structure.(www.uniprot.org/keywords/974).