Type IV pili (T4P) are hair-like appendages found on the surface of a wide range of bacteria belonging to the β-, γ-, and δ-Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Firmicutes. They constitute an efficient device for a particular type of bacterial surface motility, named twitching, and are involved in several other bacterial activities and functions, including surface adherence, colonization, biofilm ...

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), the primary causative agent of urinary tract infections, typically express filamentous adhesive organelles called type 1 pili that mediate both bacterial attachment to and invasion of bladder urothelial cells. Several host proteins have previously been identified as receptors for type 1 pili, but none have been conclusively shown to promote UPEC entry into...

background: the current study aimed to determine the effect and properties of surface-modified copper doped cu:zno nps on killing curves of bacterial pathogens. m ethods:   preparation  of   in  situ   surface-modified  copper  doped  zno nanoparticles (cu:zno nps) was done according to standard procedure.assay for antimicrobial activity of cu:zno nps against bacterial pathogens was carried out...

Forceful retraction of a bacterial pilus has been directly observed for the first time. As retraction clarifies the basic mechanochemistry of single cell twitching and gliding movements, so cell-to-cell signalling by contact clarifies the coordination of multicellular gliding movements.

One mechanism of initiating innate host defenses against uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) is the production of cytokines by bladder epithelial cells; however, the means by which these cells recognize bacterial pathogens is poorly understood. Type 1 pili, expressed by the majority of UPEC, have been shown to have a critical role in inducing the expression of IL-6 in bladder epithelial cells...

Stable carbohydrate-coated nanocapsules designed as multivalent nanoscaffolds for selective interactions with receptors are able to encapsulate guest molecules within their interior and to bind efficiently to FimH adhesin of bacterial type 1 pili.

Citation: Chimileski S and Papke RT (2015) Getting a hold on archaeal type IV pili: an expanding repertoire of cellular appendages implicates complex regulation and diverse functions. Type IV pili (T4P) are a group of cell surface appendages of particular interest due to broad conservation and functional versatility across the domains Bacteria and Archaea (Albers and Meyer, 2011; Giltner et al....

Flagella and pili are appendages that modulate attachment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to solid surfaces. However, previous studies have mostly reported absolute attachment. Neither the dynamic roles of these appendages in surface association nor those of attachment phenotypes have been quantified. We used video microscopy to address this issue. Unworn, sterile, soft contact lenses were placed in ...

Chaperone-usher pathway pili are a widespread family of extracellular, Gram-negative bacterial fibers with important roles in bacterial pathogenesis. Type 1 pili are important virulence factors in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), which cause the majority of urinary tract infections (UTI). FimH, the type 1 adhesin, binds mannosylated glycoproteins on the surface of human and murine bladder...