Random walk is a fundamental concept with applications ranging from quantum physics to
econometrics. Remarkably, one specific model of random walks appears to be ubiquitous …

In the wild, bacteria are predominantly associated with surfaces as opposed to existing as
free-swimming, isolated organisms. They are thus subject to surface-specific mechanics …

Nearly all bacteria form biofilms as a strategy for survival and persistence. Biofilms are
associated with biotic and abiotic surfaces and are composed of aggregates of cells that are …

Since its initial discovery as an allosteric factor regulating cellulose biosynthesis in
Gluconacetobacter xylinus, the list of functional outputs regulated by c-di-GMP has grown …

Prokaryotes have engineered sophisticated surface nanomachines that have allowed them
to colonize Earth and thrive even in extreme environments. Filamentous machineries …

Biofilms are surface-attached multicellular communities. Using single-cell tracking
microscopy, we showed that a pilY1 mutant of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is defective in …

The bacterial type IV pilus (T4P) is a versatile molecular machine with a broad range of
functions. Recent advances revealed that the molecular components and the biophysical …

Bacteria in natural and artificial environments often reside in self-organized, integrated
communities known as biofilms. Biofilms are highly structured entities consisting of bacterial …

Motility is one of the most dynamic features of the microbial world. The ability to swim or
crawl frequently governs how microorganisms interact with their physical and chemical …

Summary Type IV pili (T4P) are bacterial virulence factors involved in a wide variety of
functions including deoxyribonucleic acid uptake, surface attachment, biofilm formation and …