MICRO-C-OMICS #13: Flagellar Motility

Motility allows cells to colonize new favorable areas, such as areas with more nutrients or to escape from unfavorable conditions, such as from predators. Some microorganisms are motile, some are not, and some can switch between being motile and non-motility. There are many ways bacteria can move. One way they can move is by rotating their tail like structures, called flagella. The number and location of flagella can change depending on the species or sometimes on the environmental conditions and they are given specific names accordingly: Monotrichous - Single flagellum at one side of the cell Amphitrichous – Single flagellum on both sides of the cell Lophotrichous – Multiple flagella at one or both sides of the cell Peritrichous – Multiple flagella all around the cell Although flagella are mainly associated with motility, recent research suggest alternative roles from sensing the surface where bacteria colonize to exporting cellular products. I wonder what else we are going to discover about flagella

#microcomics