Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 6.15.
Morphological similarities between MvspI and gliding machinery. The
MvspI protein forms a dimer and is anchored to the membrane at other parts than
the cell neck via lipids attached to the N-terminal. The protein molecule features
an N-terminal globular part, C-terminal filamentous part, and repeat sequences of
about 90 amino acids. This protein shares features found in the gliding unit: a
globular part near the membrane, a filamentous part, and repeat sequences.
6.3.17 Harnessing
Mycoplasma
Motion
Some researchers working on biomotility systems dream that their discoveries
will eventually be used as the bases of artificial motors. Hiratsuka et al. exam-
ined in detail the behaviors of
M. mobile
on micropatterns made by lithogra-
phy, and found that
Mycoplasmas
preferentially move along walls. Based on
this feature, they made an arabesque pattern and controlled the direction of
Mycoplasma
gliding. The directions of 90% of the gliding
Mycoplasmas
were
controlled in repetitive broken circles connected by lines [7]. Then, the motion
of gliding
Mycoplasmas
was harnessed by some additional artifices.
Mycoplas-
mas
that were controlled in terms of their gliding direction in a pattern were
introduced into a circle covered by a rotor 20
μ
m in diameter, and attached to
the rotor via biotin labeling on the
Mycoplasma
cell surface. The rotor moved
at 2.0 rpm [69], becoming the first example of a micromechanical device to
integrate inorganic materials with living bacteria.
6.4 Studies on
M. pneumoniae
Gliding
The study of
M. pneumoniae
gliding has progressed to a different point, and
along a different path from that of
M. mobile
. The study of
M. pneumoniae
