A tactile response in Staphylococcus aureus.
It is well established that bacteria are able to respond to temporal gradients (e.g., by chemotaxis). However, it is widely held that prokaryotes are too small to sense spatial gradients. This contradicts the common observation that the vast majority of bacteria live on the surface of a solid substrate (e.g., as a biofilm). Herein we report direct experimental evidence that the nonmotile bacterium Staphylococcus aureus possesses a tactile response, or primitive sense of touch, that allows it to respond to spatial gradients. Attached cells recognize their substrate interface and localize adhesins toward that region. Braille-like avidity maps reflect a cell's biochemical sensory response and reveal ultrastructural regions defined by the actual binding activity of specific proteins.
Duke Scholars
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Related Subject Headings
- Surface Properties
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Recombinant Proteins
- Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
- Models, Biological
- Microscopy, Atomic Force
- Fibronectins
- Biophysics
- Biophysical Phenomena
- Biofilms
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Surface Properties
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Recombinant Proteins
- Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
- Models, Biological
- Microscopy, Atomic Force
- Fibronectins
- Biophysics
- Biophysical Phenomena
- Biofilms