"We propose a model for the self-propulsion of the marine bacterium Synechococcus utilizing a continuous looped helical track analogous to that found in Myxobacteria. In our model cargo-carrying protein motors, driven by proton-motive force, move along a continuous looped helical track."
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"Cells can rotate either in the clockwise (CW) or the counterclockwise (CCW) direction but a rotating cell has never been observed to change the direction of rotation, which, as Willey has pointed out (Willey, 1988), suggests that the “motor” rotates in only one direction and does not switch. This further implies that Synechococcus cells may have a “front” and a “back” end and that the direction of rotation depends on which end of the cell is tethered (Willey, 1988). Unlike flagellated bacteria, no obvious patterns in swimming behavior, such as tumbles or reversals or stops, have been observed but cell shape appears to affect motility: more coccoid cells tend to swim in more looped or spiral paths while rod-shaped cells swim in straight paths (Willey, 1988)."
Non-Flagellar Swimming in Marine Synechococcus - B. Brahamsha - pdf (33 kb)
Characterization of swimming motility in a marine unicellular cyanobacterium - Willey pdf (8.7 Mb)
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