How do water mold spores swim?

Date:
May 9, 2022
Source:
CNRS
Summary:
Oomycetes, also known as water moulds, are pathogenic microorganisms
that resemble fungi and are responsible for a group of diseases
affecting several plant species. To reach and infect plants, the
spores swim to their target. Physicists and biologists have now
precisely measured the movement of each flagellum while a zoospore
follows a linear trajectory and when it is turning.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Oomycetes, also known as water moulds, are pathogenic microorganisms that resemble fungi and are responsible for a group of diseases affecting
several plant species. To reach and infect plants, the zoospores --
i.e., self- propelled spores -- of oomycetes swim to their target using
two flagella1, one opposite the other. In a recent study directed by a
CNRS researcher, physicists and biologists worked together to precisely
measure the movement of each flagellum while a zoospore follows a linear trajectory and when it is turning.

They used these data to develop a theoretical model.


========================================================================== Their findings published in eLife (3 May 2022) reveal that, in
order for the zoospore to turn, its anterior flagellum ceases to beat sinusoidally, as it does when moving along a straight path, and instead
adopts a breaststroke. This is the first time that the movement of
such organisms has been described at a microscopic scale. Beyond the fundamental biophysical questions the nature of their motion raises,
zoospores represent a new model of 'microswimmers' distinct from algae
and bacteria, suggesting new avenues of physics research.

Through these findings we now understand how oomycete zoospores move,
but we still lack knowledge about when and why they change direction
during their movement. In the future, the researchers would like to
study the interactions between the zoospores and the roots they infect,
in order to identify the chemical processes that attract these pathogenic microorganisms.

This research was a collaborative effort between physicists from the Nice Institute of Physics (CNRS / Universite' Co^te d'Azur), biologists from
the Institut Sophia Agrobiotech (INRAE / CNRS / Universite' Co^te d'Azur),
a theoretical physicist-modeller from the Laboratory of Theoretical
Physics and Modelling (CNRS / CY Cergy Paris Universite'), and an
engineer from the Centre Commun de Microscopie Applique'e (Universite'
Co^te d'Azur).

Note 1 A flagellum is a long, mobile filament shaped like a whip and
located at the surface of a cell, by which the latter moves.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by CNRS. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Quang D Tran, Eric Galiana, Philippe Thomen, Ce'line Cohen,
Franc,ois
Orange, Fernando Peruani, Xavier Noblin. Coordination of two
opposite flagella allows high-speed swimming and active turning
of individual zoospores. eLife, 2022; 11 DOI: 10.7554/eLife.71227 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/05/220509162816.htm

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