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The curved shape of Caulobacter crescentus enhances surface colonization in flow

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  • Alexandre Persat

    (Princeton University)

  • Howard A. Stone

    (Princeton University)

  • Zemer Gitai

    (Princeton University)

Abstract

Each bacterial species has a characteristic shape, but the benefits of specific morphologies remain largely unknown. To understand potential functions for cell shape, we focused on the curved bacterium Caulobacter crescentus. Paradoxically, C. crescentus curvature is robustly maintained in the wild but straight mutants have no known disadvantage in standard laboratory conditions. Here we demonstrate that cell curvature enhances C. crescentus surface colonization in flow. Imaging the formation of microcolonies at high spatial and temporal resolution indicates that flow causes curved cells to orient such that they arc over the surface, thereby decreasing the distance between the surface and polar adhesive pili, and orienting pili to face the surface. C. crescentus thus repurposes pilus retraction, typically used for surface motility, for surface attachment. The benefit provided by curvature is eliminated at high flow intensity, raising the possibility that diversity in curvature adapts related species for life in different flow environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandre Persat & Howard A. Stone & Zemer Gitai, 2014. "The curved shape of Caulobacter crescentus enhances surface colonization in flow," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-9, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms4824
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4824
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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Molinari & Robert F. Tesoriero & Dong Li & Swetha Sridhar & Rong Cai & Jayashree Soman & Kathleen R. Ryan & Paul D. Ashby & Caroline M. Ajo-Franklin, 2022. "A de novo matrix for macroscopic living materials from bacteria," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Sebastian Pöhl & Giacomo Giacomelli & Fabian M. Meyer & Volker Kleeberg & Eli J. Cohen & Jacob Biboy & Julia Rosum & Timo Glatter & Waldemar Vollmer & Muriel C. F. Teeseling & Johann Heider & Marc Bra, 2024. "An outer membrane porin-lipoprotein complex modulates elongasome movement to establish cell curvature in Rhodospirillum rubrum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-21, December.

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