Journal Article

PreJuSER-21091

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Synchronization and bundling of anchored bacterial flagella

Reigh, S. Y.FZJ* ; Winkler, R. G.FZJ* ; Gompper, G.FZJ*

2012
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Cambridge

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/7460  doi:10.1039/C2SM07378A

Abstract: The synchronization and bundling process of bacterial flagella is investigated by mesoscale hydrodynamic simulations. Systems with two to six flagella are considered, which are anchored at one end, and are driven by a constant torque. A flagellum is modelled as a linear helical structure composed of mass points with their elastic shape maintained by bonds, bending, and torsional potentials. The characteristic times for synchronization and bundling are analyzed in terms of motor torque, separation, and number of flagella. We find that hydrodynamic interactions determine the bundling behavior. The synchronization time is smaller than the bundling time, but their ratio depends strongly on the initial separation. The bundling time decreases with increasing number of flagella at a fixed radius in a circular arrangement due to multi-helix hydrodynamics.

Keyword(s): J

Note: Financial support by the VW Foundation (VolkswagenStiftung) within the program Computer Simulation of Molecular and Cellular Bio-Systems as well as Complex Soft Matter of the initiative New Conceptual Approaches to Modeling and Simulation of Complex Systems is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Holger Stark (Berlin) for helpful discussions.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Theorie der weichen Materie und Biophysik (ICS-2)
2. Theorie der Weichen Materie und Biophysik (IAS-2)

Research Program(s):

1. BioSoft: Makromolekulare Systeme und biologische Informationsverarbeitung (P45)

Appears in the scientific report 2012

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Database coverage:
; ; Allianz-Lizenz / DFG ; Current Contents - Social and Behavioral Sciences ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

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