Eukaryotic cell
Locomotion of Amoeba proteus

Species name: Amoeba proteus
University of Hyogo, Graduate School of Life Science　Yukinori Nishigami

Amoeba proteus exhibit active cell locomotion. During locomotion, cytoplasm actively flows toword direction of locomotion.

Eukaryotic cell
Euglenoid movement of Euglena

Species name: Euglena
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kobe University　Masashi HAYAKAWA

Euglenoid movement of Euglena

Eukaryotic cell
Macrobiotus sp.

Species name: Macrobiotus sp.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government　Bureau Swerage,

The size of Macrobiotus is about 0.2 – 1.0 mm. The body is covered with a thin chitin film, with spiny bristles, armor plates. There are four pairs of footsteps, with nails at the tip. Macrobiotus have fourth pair of legs with nails at the tip. They usually live in soil. The form that I'm slow in action and walk slowly is similar to a bear, so it's called a bear bug. The tooth needle taken out of the mouth is stuck into food, and it's crowded, and a pharynx, to work, more, I suck at contents. Slowly walking figure resembles a bear so it is called water bears.

微生物図鑑

Eukaryotic cell
Trichocyst discharge in a Paramecium cell

Species name: Paramecium caudatum
Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi University　Yoshiaki Iwadate

It is not well known that Paramecium cells discharge missiles named "trichocyst" when they are attacked by a predator. Trichocyst discharge and ciliary reversal in Paramecium cells are regulated by the intracellular calcium concentration. We injected caged Calcium into P. caudatum cells and applied ultraviolet (UV) light to the cell for 125ms. This did not induce trichocyst discharge but did induce ciliary reversal . A re-application of UV for 125 ms triggered trichocyst discharge. The threshold of intracellular calcium for trichocyst discharge is higher than those for ciliary reversal.

Iwadate et al., Protoplasma 206, 11-19, 1999
Iwadate and Nakaoka, Cell Calcium 44, 169-179, 2008

Model (CG)
Movement of Actin-associated Myosin-II (Cross-Bridge) during Muscle Contraction

Species name: Rabbit
Osaka City Univ　Eisaku KATAYAMA

The first part of the movie indicates the movement of individual myosin-head (crossbridge), based on conventional "Tilting-Leverarm Hypothesis". Such movement was proposed from the characteristic features of the atomic models of myosin-S1 in the absence and the presence of ATP, together with the well-known experimental evidence that "the motor-domain does not appreciably rotate during the Power-Stroke". Hence, this hypothesis claims that the Power-Stroke is essentially the transition between strongly actin-bound rigor-structure (1DFK: lever-arm is extended) and ATP-bound kinked structure (1DFL). If the motor-domain is immobilized on actin, the lever-arm moiety should swing along the actin filament, The latter half of the movie exhibits the revised crossbridge-cycle we have proposed according to our direct observation of in vitro sliding actomyosin by Quick-Freeze Deep-Etch Replica Electron Microscopy (Ref. 1, 2). We noticed that the actual images of actin-sliding myosin cannot be explained by the conventional hypothesis as above, suggesting the presence of a new conformer whose crystal structure is not yet reported. After extensive search, we finally found that SH1-SH2 crosslinked myosin could be a good candidate of the new conformer whose lever-arm bends to the opposite side of ATP-bound kinked structure (Ref.3-5). Since we could successfully reconstruct its low-resolution 3-D model by a new version of single-particle-analysis (Ref. 5). Taking the results of time-resolved chemical crosslinking into consideration, we revised the scheme of crossbridge-cycle including the new conformer (Ref.5). .The conformational change shown in the movie is compatible with all the images we actually observed under in vitro actin-sliding conditions. [References] 1. Katayama E. The effects of various nucleotides on the structure of actin-attached myosin subfragment-1 studied by quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy. J Biochem. 1989 Nov;106(5):751-70. 2: Katayama E. Quick-freeze deep-etch electron microscopy of the actin-heavy meromyosin complex during the in vitro motility assay. J Mol Biol. 1998 May 1;278(2):349-67. 3: Katayama E, Ohmori G, Baba N. Three-dimensional image analysis of myosin head in function as captured by quick-freeze deep-etch replica electron microscopy. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1998;453:37-45. 4: Katayama E, Ichise N, Yaeguchi N, Yoshizawa T, Maruta S, Baba N. Three-dimensional structural analysis of individual myosin heads under various functional states. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2003;538:295-304. 5: Kimori Y, Baba N, Katayama E. Novel configuration of a myosin II transient intermediate analogue revealed by quick-freeze deep-etch replica electron microscopy. Biochem J. 2013 Feb 15;450(1):23-35. 6. Andreev OA, Reshetnyak YK. Mechanism of formation of actomyosin interface. J Mol Biol. 2007 Jan 19;365(3):551-4.

Eukaryotic cell
Fluid flow on the surface of trachea

Species name: Mus musculus
Hamamatsu Univ Sch Med　Koji Ikegami

The fluid flow is driven by the well coordinated ciliary beating. The flow speed is around 25 micrometer per sec, which is equal to ~1.5 mm/min or 1 cm/6-7 min. Tiny particles or pathogens such as viruses are removed from the respiratory organ by this flow.

Tubulin polyglutamylation is essential for airway ciliary function through the regulation of beating asymmetry [Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 107(23), 10490-10495, 2010]

Model (CG)
Flagellar helical form: Normal, CW rotation. Polymorphic transition.

Faculty of Life and Environmental Scienses, Prefectural University of Hiroshima　Shin-ichi Aizawa

Bacterial flagellar filament has polymorphic transition ability, which can switch between a set of helical forms (straight, Normal coiled and curly) in response to flagellar motor rotation, pH, salinity, and temperature changes.

Model (CG)
Flagellar helical form: Coiled, CCW rotation. Polymorphic transition

Faculty of Life and Environmental Scienses, Prefectural University of Hiroshima　Shin‒ichi Aizawa

Bacterial flagellar filament has polymorphic transition ability, which can switch between a set of helical forms (straight, Normal coiled and curly) in response to flagellar motor rotation, pH, salinity, and temperature changes.

Model (CG)
Updated centipede model for Mycoplasma mobile gliding

Species name: Mycoplasma mobile
Osaka City Univ　Makoto MIYATA, Tasuku HAMAGUCHI

supplemented to a scientific paper Prospects for the gliding mechanism of Mycoplasma mobile Makoto Miyata, Tasuku Hamaguchi (Osaka City University) doi:10.1016/j.mib.2015.08.010 end user license: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Miyata M, Hamaguchi T, Prospects for the gliding mechanism of Mycoplasma mobile. Current Opinion in Microbiology. 29, 15-21.

Eukaryotic cell
Standard SPOC

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

Standard SPOC

Prokaryotic cell
Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 (3)

Species name: Paenibacillus sp.
Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science & Technology　Kazuo Kobayashi

Time-lapse analysis of colony formation. One microliter of Paenibacillus sp. suspension was spotted onto a 1.5% agar plate, which was then incubated at 37°C. The process of colony formation was analyzed by time-lapse light microscopy. Time-lapse images were collected every 1 min for 16 h after inoculation. Playback speed, ×1,440. Scale bar, 2 mm.

Genetic Analysis of Collective Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1

Model (CG)
Flagellar helical form: Curly, CW rotation. Polymorphic transition.

Faculty of Life and Environmental Scienses, Prefectural University of Hiroshima　Shin‒ichi Aizawa

Bacterial flagellar filament has polymorphic transition ability, which can switch between a set of helical forms (straight, Normal coiled and curly) in response to flagellar motor rotation, pH, salinity, and temperature changes.

Eukaryotic cell
SPOC(Myofibril in auxotonic condition)

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

SPOC(Myofibril in auxotonic condition)

Biomolecule
Fig1bSide_Branching by Arp2/3complex with VCA

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

Fig1bSide_Branching by Arp2/3complex with VCA

Visualization and force measurement of branching by Arp2/3 complex and N-WASP in actin filament. (Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2002, 293:1550-5)

Biomolecule
Super helix formation of actin filaments.

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

Super helix formation of actin filaments.

Right-handed rotation of an actin filament in an in vitro motile system (Nature, 1993, 361:261-71)

Eukaryotic cell
rabbit SPOC

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

rabbit SPOC

Auto-oscillations of skinned myocardium correlating with heartbeat. (J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2005, 26:93-101)

Prokaryotic cell
Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 (5)

Species name: Paenibacillus sp.
Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science & Technology　Kazuo Kobayashi

Cellular behavior of the wild-type strain at the leading edge zones of swarming colonies on 0.6% agar plates. The wild-type strain was spotted onto the center of 0.6% agar plates and incubated at 37°C for 6 h. Coverslips were placed directly on the surface of the leading edge zones of the colonies and cell morphology observed under a video light microscope. These movie is real time. Scale bar, 20 μm.

Genetic Analysis of Collective Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1

Model (CG)
Quick freezing by Blender

Osaka City University　Hamaguchi Tasuku

Quick freezing made by Blender (free- software).

Prokaryotic cell
Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 (2)

Species name: Paenibacillus sp.
Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science & Technology　Kazuo Kobayashi

Large moving clusters of wild-type strain cells on a 1.5% agar plate. The experiment was done as described in "Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 (1)" Movie. The movie is real time. Scale bar, 20 μm.

Genetic Analysis of Collective Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1

Prokaryotic cell
Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 (1)

Species name: Paenibacillus sp.
Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science & Technology　Kazuo Kobayashi

Small moving clusters of wild-type strain cells on a 1.5% agar plate. The wild-type strain was spotted on a 1.5% agar plate and incubated at 37°C for 6 h. Coverslips were placed directly onto the surface of the leading edge zones of the colonies and cell morphology observed under a video light microscope. The movie is real time. Scale bar, 20 μm.

Genetic Analysis of Collective Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1

Prokaryotic cell
Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1 (4)

Species name: Paenibacillus sp.
Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Nara Institute of Science & Technology　Kazuo Kobayashi

The cmoA mutant retains functional flagella. cmoA mutant cells were spread over the surface of a 1.5% agar plate and incubated at 37°C for 5 h. Two hundred microliters of water were poured onto the colonies and cellular behavior was immediately observed under a video light microscope. The movie is real time. Scale bar, 20 μm.

Genetic Analysis of Collective Motility of Paenibacillus sp. NAIST15-1

Eukaryotic cell
rat SPOC

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

rat SPOC

Auto-oscillations of skinned myocardium correlating with heartbeat. (J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2005, 26:93-101)

Biomolecule
Actin Polymerization Triggered by Arp2/3complex.

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

Actin Polymerization Triggered by Arp2/3complex.

Visualization and force measurement of branching by Arp2/3 complex and N-WASP in actin filamen. (Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002, 293:1550-5)

Eukaryotic cell
Locomotion of Amoeba

Species name: Amoeba proteus
National Institute for Basic Biology　TANIGUCHI, Atsushi

Locomotion of Amoeba

Biomolecule
Fig1gEnd_Coupling by Arp2/3complex with VCA

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

Fig1gEnd_Coupling by Arp2/3complex with VCA

Visualization and force measurement of branching by Arp2/3 complex and N-WASP in actin filament. (Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2002, 293:1550-5)

Biomolecule
Fig1eEnd_Branching by Arp2/3complex with VCA

Waseda Univerisity　Shin'ichi ISHIWATA

Fig1eEnd_Branching by Arp2/3complex with VCA

Visualization and force measurement of branching by Arp2/3 complex and N-WASP in actin filament. (Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 2002, 293:1550-5)

Eukaryotic cell
Migrating keratocytes cultured from a gold fish.

Faculty of Science, Yamaguchi Univ.　Chika Okimura

Keratocytes are fish epithelial cells, which are responsible for skin wound healing. When fish skin is wounded by peeling of scales, etc, they began to migrate from the wounded margin to close the wound. During the crawling migration, individual keratocytes maintain constant shape just like "Yaki-Gyoza".

Eukaryotic cell
Metachronal Wave of Cilia

Species name: Paramecium caudatum
Fac. Sci., Yamaguchi Univ.　Yoshiaki Iwadate

The surface of ciliated protozoa, such as Paramecium cells, is covered with a dense array of cilia. Ciliary movements exhibit beautiful metachronal wave-like coordination where a constant phase difference is maintained between adjacent cilia.

Eukaryotic cell
Step-up Photophobic Response in Euglena

Species name: Euglena gracilis
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University　Mineo Iseki

Immediately after a rapid change in incident blue light intensity, Euglena cell alters its swimming direction. This behavior is known as photophobic response. Step-up and step-down photophobic responses can be observed when a rapid increase or decrease in incident blue light intensity, respectively, is experienced by the cell.

seki, M., et. al. A blue-light-activated adenylyl cyclase mediates photoavoidance in Euglena gracilis. Nature 415,1047-1051 (2002).
Matsunaga, S., et al. Discovery of signaling effect of UV-B/C light in the extended UV-A/blue-type action spectra for step-down and step-up photophobic responses in the unicellular flagellate alga Euglena gracilis. Protoplasma 201, 45-52 (1998).

Eukaryotic cell
Paramecium caudatum

Species name: Paramecium caudatum
Faculty of Medicine, Yamaguchi University　IWADATE, Yoshiaki

Movement of Paramecium with cilia.