Single Molecule Spectroscopy in Chemistry, Physics and Biology

Abstract

Many types of bacterium express micrometer-long attachment organelles (so-called pili) whose role is to mediate adhesion to host tissue. Until recently, little was known about their function in the adhesion process. Force-measuring optical tweezers (FMOT) have since then been used to unravel the biomechanical properties of various types of pili, primarily those from uropathogenic E. coli, in particular their force-vs.-elongation response, but lately also some properties of the adhesin are situated at the distal end of the pilus. This knowledge provides an understanding of how piliated bacteria can sustain external shear forces caused by rinsing processes, e.g., urine flow. It has been found that many types of pilus exhibit unique and complex force-vs.-elongation responses. It has been conjectured that their dissimilar properties impose significant differences in their ability to sustain external forces and that different types of pilus therefore have dissimilar predisposition to withstand different types of rinsing conditions. An understanding of these properties is of high importance since it can serve as a basis for finding new means to combat bacterial adhesion, including that caused by antibiotic-resistance bacteria. This work presents a review of the current status of the assessment of biophysical properties of individual pili on single bacteria exposed to strain/stress, primarily by the FMOT technique. It also addresses, for the first time, how the elongation and retraction properties of the rod couple to the adhesive properties of the tip adhesin.