ArticleACS nano2014
Nanoscale adhesion forces of Pseudomonas aeruginosa type IV Pili.
Article in ACS nano, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 71 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
71 citing papers in PubMed, 172 citations in OpenAlex.
- Investigation of Bacterial Curli Production and Adhesion Using AFM.Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) · 2027Article
- Orthogonal microfluidic approaches reveal force-enhanced migration of bacterial populations on surfaces.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Visualization of Type IV Pili: Linking Structural Architecture, Dynamic Function, and Translational Opportunities.Biology · 2026Review
- Multiple virulence attenuating strategies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: Natural, synthetic, and synergistic approaches.World journal of microbiology & biotechnology · 2026Review
- Cell Adhesion and Biofilm Development via Force-Sensitive Mechanisms: A Perspective.ACS biomaterials science & engineering · 2026Review
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa senses exopolysaccharide trails using type IV pili and adhesins during biofilm formation.Nature microbiology · 2025Article
- Single-Cell Force Spectroscopy Uncovers Root Zone- and Bacteria-Specific Interactions.Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) · 2025Article
- A comprehensive review of the pathogenic mechanisms ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2025Review
- Serotype switching in Pseudomonas aeruginosa ST111 enhances adhesion and virulence.PLoS pathogens · 2024Article
- Bacterial-host adhesion dominated by collagen subtypes remodelled by osmotic pressure.NPJ biofilms and microbiomes · 2024Article
- Article
- PilY1 regulates the dynamic architecture of the type IV pilus machine in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.Nature communications · 2024Article
- A bacterial sense of touch: T4P retraction motor as a means of surface sensing byJournal of bacteriology · 2024Review
- Data-driven modelling makes quantitative predictions regarding bacteria surface motility.PLoS computational biology · 2024Article
- Tight-packing of large pilin subunits provides distinct structural and mechanical properties for theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2024Article
- Factors influencing initial bacterial adhesion to antifouling surfaces studied by single-cell force spectroscopy.iScience · 2024Article
- Potential ofHeliyon · 2024Article
- Article
- Spectroscopic and Microscopic Characterization of Microbial Biofouling on Aircraft Fuel Tanks.Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids · 2024Article
- Shear force enhances adhesion ofProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2023Article
11 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
A variety of bacterial pathogens use nanoscale protein fibers called type IV pili to mediate cell adhesion, a primary step leading to infection. Currently, how these nanofibers respond to mechanical stimuli and how this response is used to control adhesion is poorly understood. Here, we use atomic force microscopy techniques to quantify the forces guiding the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa type IV pili to surfaces. Using chemical force microscopy and single-cell force spectroscopy, we show that pili strongly bind to hydrophobic surfaces in a time-dependent manner, while they weakly bind to hydrophilic surfaces. Individual nanofibers are capable of withstanding forces up to 250 pN, thereby explaining how they can resist mechanical stress. Pulling on individual pili yields constant force plateaus, presumably reflecting conformational changes, as well as nanospring properties that may help bacteria to withstand physiological shear forces. Analysis of mutant strains demonstrates that these mechanical responses originate solely from type IV pili, while flagella and the cell surface localized and proposed pili-associated adhesin PilY1 play no direct role. We also demonstrate that bacterial-host interactions involve constant force plateaus, the extension of bacterial pili, and the formation of membrane tethers from host cells. We postulate that the unique mechanical responses of type IV pili unravelled here enable the bacteria to firmly attach to biotic and abiotic surfaces and thus maintain attachment when subjected to high shear forces under physiological conditions, helping to explain why pili play a critical role in colonization of the host.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.