Bacterial rheotaxis
The motility of organisms is often directed in response to environmental stimuli. Rheotaxis is the directed movement resulting from fluid velocity gradients, long studied in fish, aquatic invertebrates, and spermatozoa. Using carefully controlled microfluidic flows, we show that rheotaxis also occur...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2013
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/85681 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12312 |
| _version_ | 1811696371519979520 |
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| author | Marcos. Stocker, Roman. Fu, Henry C. Powers, Thomas R. |
| author2 | School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
| author_facet | School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Marcos. Stocker, Roman. Fu, Henry C. Powers, Thomas R. |
| author_sort | Marcos. |
| collection | NTU |
| description | The motility of organisms is often directed in response to environmental stimuli. Rheotaxis is the directed movement resulting from fluid velocity gradients, long studied in fish, aquatic invertebrates, and spermatozoa. Using carefully controlled microfluidic flows, we show that rheotaxis also occurs in bacteria. Excellent quantitative agreement between experiments with Bacillus subtilis and a mathematical model reveals that bacterial rheotaxis is a purely physical phenomenon, in contrast to fish rheotaxis but in the same way as sperm rheotaxis. This previously unrecognized bacterial taxis results from a subtle interplay between velocity gradients and the helical shape of flagella, which together generate a torque that alters a bacterium's swimming direction. Because this torque is independent of the presence of a nearby surface, bacterial rheotaxis is not limited to the immediate neighborhood of liquid–solid interfaces, but also takes place in the bulk fluid. We predict that rheotaxis occurs in a wide range of bacterial habitats, from the natural environment to the human body, and can interfere with chemotaxis, suggesting that the fitness benefit conferred by bacterial motility may be sharply reduced in some hydrodynamic conditions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T07:38:18Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/85681 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T07:38:18Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/856812023-03-04T17:15:40Z Bacterial rheotaxis Marcos. Stocker, Roman. Fu, Henry C. Powers, Thomas R. School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering The motility of organisms is often directed in response to environmental stimuli. Rheotaxis is the directed movement resulting from fluid velocity gradients, long studied in fish, aquatic invertebrates, and spermatozoa. Using carefully controlled microfluidic flows, we show that rheotaxis also occurs in bacteria. Excellent quantitative agreement between experiments with Bacillus subtilis and a mathematical model reveals that bacterial rheotaxis is a purely physical phenomenon, in contrast to fish rheotaxis but in the same way as sperm rheotaxis. This previously unrecognized bacterial taxis results from a subtle interplay between velocity gradients and the helical shape of flagella, which together generate a torque that alters a bacterium's swimming direction. Because this torque is independent of the presence of a nearby surface, bacterial rheotaxis is not limited to the immediate neighborhood of liquid–solid interfaces, but also takes place in the bulk fluid. We predict that rheotaxis occurs in a wide range of bacterial habitats, from the natural environment to the human body, and can interfere with chemotaxis, suggesting that the fitness benefit conferred by bacterial motility may be sharply reduced in some hydrodynamic conditions. Published Version 2013-07-25T08:41:42Z 2019-12-06T16:08:14Z 2013-07-25T08:41:42Z 2019-12-06T16:08:14Z 2012 2012 Journal Article Marcos , Fu, H. C., Powers, T. R., & Stocker, R. (2012). Bacterial rheotaxis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(13), 4780-4785. https://hdl.handle.net/10356/85681 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12312 10.1073/pnas.1120955109 22411815 en Proceedings of the national academy of sciences © 2012 National Academy of Sciences. This paper was published in Proceedings of the national academy of sciences and is made available as an electronic reprint (preprint) with permission of National Academy of Sciences. The paper can be found at the following official DOI: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1120955109]. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law. application/pdf |
| spellingShingle | Marcos. Stocker, Roman. Fu, Henry C. Powers, Thomas R. Bacterial rheotaxis |
| title | Bacterial rheotaxis |
| title_full | Bacterial rheotaxis |
| title_fullStr | Bacterial rheotaxis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Bacterial rheotaxis |
| title_short | Bacterial rheotaxis |
| title_sort | bacterial rheotaxis |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/85681 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/12312 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marcos bacterialrheotaxis AT stockerroman bacterialrheotaxis AT fuhenryc bacterialrheotaxis AT powersthomasr bacterialrheotaxis |