A patient presents with high fever, rash, and neck pain. Lab…
A patient presents with high fever, rash, and neck pain. Lab results show the presence of a Gram-negative diplococcus. The indicated microbe produces an endotoxin that causes internal bleeding (most prominently displayed as small pinpoint hemorrhages); the microbe uses an adhesion mechanism that produces twitching motility, giving the organism the appearance of twitching forward. Based on this information, which of the following adhesion mechanisms is being used by the causative agent?