Quenching active swarms: effects of light exposure on collective motility in swarming Serratia marcescens.

ABSTRACT: Swarming colonies of the light-responsive bacteria Serratia marcescens grown on agar exhibit robust fluctuating large-scale flows that include arrayed vortices, jets and sinuous streamers. We study the immobilization and quenching of these collective flows when the moving swarm is exposed to intense wide-spectrum light with a substantial ultraviolet component. We map the emergent response of the swarm to light in terms of two parameters-light intensity and duration of exposure-and identify the conditions under which collective motility is impacted. For small exposure times and/or low intensities, we find collective motility to be negligibly affected. Increasing exposure times and/or intensity to higher values suppresses collective motility but only temporarily. Terminating exposure allows

SUBMITTER: Yang J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6685032 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature