Using liquid crystals to reveal how mechanical anisotropy changes interfacial behaviors of motile bacteria.

ABSTRACT: Bacteria often inhabit and exhibit distinct dynamical behaviors at interfaces, but the physical mechanisms by which interfaces cue bacteria are still poorly understood. In this work, we use interfaces formed between coexisting isotropic and liquid crystal (LC) phases to provide insight into how mechanical anisotropy and defects in LC ordering influence fundamental bacterial behaviors. Specifically, we measure the anisotropic elasticity of the LC to change fundamental behaviors of motile, rod-shaped Proteus mirabilis cells (3 μm in length) adsorbed to the LC interface, including the orientation, speed, and direction of motion of the cells (the cells follow the director of the LC at the interface), transient multicellular self-association, and dynamical escape from the interface. In this lat

SUBMITTER: Mushenheim PC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4119265 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature