EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Two types of surface appendage can be recognized on certain bacterial species: the flagella, which are organs of locomotion, and pili (Latin hairs), which are also known as fimbriae (Latin fringes).

Detailed explanation-2: -Many species of bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Myxoccocus xanthus, move their bodies, not by rotating screw-like flagella to swim, but by pulling on a solid surface with their polar type IV pili. Type IV pili fibers are helical assemblies of elongated pilin subunits [1].

Detailed explanation-3: -The flagellum has three components-the motor, hook, and filament. The rotation of the filament allows bacteria to move around in their environment. The motor embedded in the bacterial cell membrane rotates-just as a car motor spins beneath the hood of the vehicle-to drive the movement of the filament outside.

Detailed explanation-4: -Pili are short, hair-like structures on the cell surface of prokaryotic cells. They can have a role in movement, but are more often involved in adherence to surfaces, which facilitates infection, and is a key virulence characteristic.