Analysis of Adhesion and Surface Motility of a Spirochete Bacterium.

Spirochetes are Gram-negative bacteria with helical or flat wave morphology and move using flagella residing beneath the outer membrane. Most commonly, flagellated bacteria swim in liquid. Meanwhile, some species of spirochete not only swim but keep moving after adhering to solid surfaces, and such amphibious motility is believed to be significant for pathogenicity. This chapter focuses on the zoonotic spirochete Leptospira and describes the method for measuring the spirochete adhesion and surface motility.