Question

which of the following statements about gliding motility is true? gliding motility is exhibited by large groups of cells in a coordinated fashion. gliding motility does not require a cellular appendage. gliding motility is a jerky, intermittent movement. gliding motility involves the undulation of the cell.

Explanation:

• For the first option: Gliding motility is often seen in individual cells (e.g., some bacteria) rather than large coordinated groups, so this is false.
• For the second option: Gliding motility (e.g., in some bacteria) does not rely on appendages like flagella or cilia; it uses other mechanisms (like secretion of slime or motor proteins on the cell surface), so this is true.
• For the third option: Gliding motility is typically smooth and continuous, not jerky/intermittent (that's more like movement with flagella in some cases or other types of motility), so this is false.
• For the fourth option: Undulation is associated with motility like that of spirochetes (using axial filaments) or eukaryotic cells with cilia/flagella - gliding motility does not involve undulation of the cell, so this is false.

Answer:

B. Gliding motility does not require a cellular appendage.