Research progress on the gliding motility of terrestrial cyanobacteria and key influencing factors thereof

doi:10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00108

Journal of Desert Research ›› 2025, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (6): 154-165.DOI: 10.7522/j.issn.1000-694X.2025.00108

Research progress on the gliding motility of terrestrial cyanobacteria and key influencing factors thereof

Yan Fang¹^,²(), Tong Li¹, Yuanming Zhang¹()

^1.State Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands，Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography，Chinese Academy of Sciences，Urumqi 830011，China
^2.University of Chinese Academy of Sciences，Beijing 100049，China

Received:2025-04-29 Revised:2025-07-04 Online:2025-11-20 Published:2025-11-26
Contact: Yuanming Zhang

Abstract

Abstract:

As photosynthetic prokaryotes and the oldest oxygen-producing organisms on Earth， cyanobaceria play vital rolse as primary producers in the carbon and nitrogen cycles of ecosystems. The motility of cyanobacteria is closely linked to their remarkable adaptability. This article comprehensively reviewed research advances in the gliding motility of terrestrial cyanobacteria and key influencing factors of this process. The review integrated findings made on the migrational responses of cyanobacteria to diverse environmental factors， including water availability， light， circadian rhythms， gas concentrations， salinity， and nutrient levels. The gliding motility of cyanobacteria relies on the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances， which not only provide physical support but can also modulate the speed and direction of the gliding movement through its thickness and composition. Cyanobacteria can sense environmental cues such as light， moisture， and salinity， and respond via gliding. Factors like dissolved gas concentrations， nutrient availability， and circadian rhythms have been shown to also be able to influence the gliding behavior. Current research on the drivers of terrestrial cyanobacterial gliding faces challenges， technically， choices of in situ visualization techniques are limited； also the microenvironmental regulatory processes， as well as the underlaying molecular mechanisms are still not yet fully elucidated. Future studies should strive to deepen the understading of the ecological functions cyanobacterial gliding， reveal the underlaying molecular regulatory mechanisms， and clarify the mechanistic role of signal transduction pathways in regulating gliding behavior. We recommend adopting integrated molecular biology and genetic approaches to systematically identify key genes and protein interaction networks driving gliding motility， while deciphering the integrated regulatory mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of multiple environmental factors. Such efforts will establish both theoretical paradigms and technical foundations for revealing microbial environmental adaptation strategies.

Key words: cyanobacteria, gliding, motility, phototaxis, chemotaxis, biological matrix

CLC Number:

Yan Fang, Tong Li, Yuanming Zhang. Research progress on the gliding motility of terrestrial cyanobacteria and key influencing factors thereof[J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2025, 45(6): 154-165.

Figures/Tables 3

References 80

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Research progress on the gliding motility of terrestrial cyanobacteria and key influencing factors thereof

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