Lophotrichous

Definition

Lophotrichous describes a bacterial cell having a tuft of flagella located at one or both poles. These flagella are used for movement in a liquid environment.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Lophotrichous bacteria have multiple flagella emerging from the same spot, typically at one end of the cell.
2. The term 'lophotrichous' is derived from Greek, where 'lopho-' means tuft and '-trichous' refers to hair.
3. These flagella aid in rapid and directed movement, allowing bacteria to navigate toward favorable environments.
4. Lophotrichous arrangement is different from monotrichous (single flagellum) and peritrichous (flagella all over the surface).
5. Examples of lophotrichous bacteria include certain species of Pseudomonas.

Review Questions

Related terms

Monotrichous: Having a single flagellum at one pole.

Peritrichous: Having multiple flagella distributed over the entire surface.

Amphitrichous: Having a single flagellum or tuft of flagella at both ends of the cell.