Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Unidirecetional motility of excherichia coli in restrictive capillaries

Journal Article · · Applied and Environmental Microbiology
OSTI ID:146519
;  [1]
  1. Tulane Univ., New Orleans, LA (United States)

In a 6-{mu}m capillary filled with buffer and in the absence of any chemotactic stimuli, Escherichia coli K-12 cells swim persistently in only one direction. This behavior of E. coli can be simply explained by means of the length and relative rigidity of their flagella. Single-cell motility parameters-swimming speed, turn angle, and run length time-were measured. Compared with the motility parameters measured in bulk phase, turn angle was influenced because of the effect of the geometrical restriction. 30 refs., 6 figs.

OSTI ID:
146519
Journal Information:
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Journal Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 61; ISSN AEMIDF; ISSN 0099-2240
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Bacterial motility, collisions, and aggregation in a 3-{micro}m-diameter capillary
Journal Article · Sun Jan 19 23:00:00 EST 1997 · Biotechnology and Bioengineering · OSTI ID:566333

The absence of the luxS gene increases swimming motility and flagella synthesis in Escherichia coli K12
Journal Article · Fri Oct 29 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications · OSTI ID:22202874

Number fluctuation spectroscopy of motile microorganisms
Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1975 · Biophys. J.; (United States) · OSTI ID:7354939