Variation of swimming speed enhances the chemotactic migration of Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Studies on chemotaxis of Escherichia coli have shown that modulation of tumble frequency causes a net drift up the gradient of attractants. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the bacteria is also capable of varying its runs speed in uniform concentration of attractant. In this study, we investigate the role of swimming speed on the chemotactic migration of bacteria. To this end, cells are exposed to gradients of a non-metabolizable analogue of glucose which are sensed via the Trg sensor. When exposed to a gradient, the cells modulate their tumble duration, which is accompanied with variation in swimming speed leading to drift velocities that are much higher than those achieved through the modulation of the tumble duration alone. We use an existing intra-cellular model developed for th

SUBMITTER: Uday Bhaskar RVS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4531881 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature