Going against the grain:: Chemotaxis and infection in Vibrio cholerae

Chemotaxis is the process by which motile cells move in a biased manner both towards favourable and away from unfavourable environments. The requirement of this process for infection has been examined in several bacterial pathogens, including Vibrio cholerae. The single polar flagellum of Vibrio species is powered by a sodium-motive force across the inner membrane, and can rotate to produce speeds of up to 60 cell-body lengths (similar to 60 mu m) per second. Investigating the role of the chemotactic control of rapid flagellar motility during V. cholerae infection has revealed some unexpected and intriguing results.