People following—or actively involved in—creation science are no doubt aware of the incredible molecular motor called the flagellum,^1,2 an ultra-tiny, whip-like appendage on bacteria that enables them to move in an aqueous environment. Recently, research involving bacteria that use sugar-fueled currents and molecular gearboxes has addressed a fascinating dual-function motor that is not associated with the flagellum.³

This molecular motor (a rotary machine) is found in a type of bacteria called flavobacteria and is “fueled by the energy of the stored proton motive force and transmitted through the torque of membrane-anchored stator units.”⁴ This amazing machine is called the type 9 secretion system (T9SS), and it aids in protein secretion and gliding movement.

As one scientist said, “The T9SS contains a motor that drives secretion. This is one of the only three known biological rotary motors driven by a proton motive force (pmf).”⁵ This pmf (or chemiosmosis) is the result of an electrochemical gradient produced by the movement of protons (H⁺) across a semipermeable membrane. It is this gradient that produces the energy for pmf that in turn operates the rotary motors. Clearly, there’s nothing simple about harnessing proton motive force at the molecular scale.

Scientists at Arizona State University likened this movement of the T9SS to—of all things—a snowmobile:

Normally, the T9SS helps these bacteria glide across surfaces. It does this by moving an adhesive-coated belt around the cell body, pulling the bacterium forward like a microscopic snowmobile. The researchers discovered that a conveyor-belt protein called GldJ acts like a gear-shifter, controlling the direction of this rotary motor.³

Nothing is left to chance when one constructs, say, a rotary motor, let alone a conveyor-belt, snowmobile, gear-shifter, or gearbox! These are complex items put together by highly intelligent engineers after much detailed research. And none of these parallel microscopic features are a result of random accidents, natural processes, or time.⁶ Indeed, Psalm 111:2 states, “The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.”

One should keep this verse in mind when reading the following paragraph by evolutionist Abhishek Shrivastava of Arizona State University as he discusses “an extraordinary dual-role nanogear system” inside tiny bacteria.

“We are very excited to have discovered an extraordinary dual-role nanogear system that integrates a feedback mechanism, revealing a controllable biological snowmobile and showing how bacteria precisely tune motility and secretion in dynamic environments,” Shrivastava says. “Building on this breakthrough, we now aim to determine high-resolution structures of this remarkable molecular conveyor to visualize, at atomic precision, how its moving parts interlock, transmit force and respond to mechanical feedback. Unraveling this intricate design will not only deepen our understanding of microbial evolution but also inspire the development of next-generation bioengineered nanomachines and therapeutic technologies.”³

Truly, the works of the Lord are great. Creationists read this incredible description and say it has nothing to do with so-called microbial evolution; rather, it gives us a more reverential appreciation for God’s astonishing workmanship.⁷

References

1. Thomas, B. and D. Thomas. 2023. Bacterial Flagella: Molecular Motors Show Masterful Design. Acts & Facts. 52 (7): 16–17.
2. Thomas, B. Bacterial Proteins Use Quantum Mechanics. Creation Science Update. Posted on ICR.org April 8, 2021.
3. Bacteria Use Sugar-Fueled Currents and Molecular Gearboxes to Move without Flagella. Arizona State University. Posted on phys.org November 8, 2025.
4. Trivedi, A. et al. 2025. A Molecular Conveyor Belt-Associated Protein Controls the Rotational Direction of the Bacterial Type 9 Secretion System. ASM Journals. 16 (7).
5. Trivedi, A. et al. 2022. Design Principles of the Rotary Type 9 Secretion System. Frontiers of Microbiology. 13.
6. Guliuzza, R. 2010. Natural Selection Is Not ‘Nature’s Design Process.’ Acts & Facts. 39 (4): 10–11.
7. Romans 1:20.

* Dr. Sherwin is a science news writer at the Institute for Creation Research. He earned an M.A. in invertebrate zoology from the University of Northern Colorado and received an honorary doctorate of science from Pensacola Christian College.