Motility and Chemotaxis
Motility and Chemotaxis of Bacteria1
Charose Marie T. Perez
MCB 220 C-1L
March 12, 2013
1This scientific paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in MCB 220 under Prof. Rina B. Opulencia, 2nd Semester, Academic Year 2012-2013. ABSTRACT Motility and chemotaxis play an important role in survival of bacteria by allowing them to move into an environment that is most favourable for growth. In this exercise, rate of migration was determined using Nutrient soft agar with the test organisms Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Erwinia carotovora and Staphylococcus aureus while demonstration of motility and chemotaxis was done by microscopic assay and capillary assay using chemoeffectors like malate, glucose and streptomycin with E. carotovora as test organism. Results from the migration experiment showed P. aeruginosa, a polarly flagellated organism, swims faster than E. carotovora which is a peritrichously flagellated organism. In demonstration of motility and chemotaxis using microscopic assay, movement towards malate and away from streptomycin was clearly observed. Colony counts from using the capillary assay showed the highest count in capillary tubes containing malate and glucose while the least counts were obtained from the capillary tubes containing streptomycin. Actual data coincides with that of the theoretical results having the organism move towards the concentration of the attractant while away the concentration of the repellent.
Introduction
Microbial cells can generally move under their own power and motility is essential for them because it allows bacterial cells to reach different parts of their environment. This can also aid in their survival by allowing the cells to move to an environment favourable for growth and to move away from environment dangerous to them. Two major types of motility are exhibited by bacteria and they are swimming and gliding motility. The difference between the two is that swimming, which is the most
Charose Marie T. Perez
MCB 220 C-1L
March 12, 2013
1This scientific paper is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in MCB 220 under Prof. Rina B. Opulencia, 2nd Semester, Academic Year 2012-2013. ABSTRACT Motility and chemotaxis play an important role in survival of bacteria by allowing them to move into an environment that is most favourable for growth. In this exercise, rate of migration was determined using Nutrient soft agar with the test organisms Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Erwinia carotovora and Staphylococcus aureus while demonstration of motility and chemotaxis was done by microscopic assay and capillary assay using chemoeffectors like malate, glucose and streptomycin with E. carotovora as test organism. Results from the migration experiment showed P. aeruginosa, a polarly flagellated organism, swims faster than E. carotovora which is a peritrichously flagellated organism. In demonstration of motility and chemotaxis using microscopic assay, movement towards malate and away from streptomycin was clearly observed. Colony counts from using the capillary assay showed the highest count in capillary tubes containing malate and glucose while the least counts were obtained from the capillary tubes containing streptomycin. Actual data coincides with that of the theoretical results having the organism move towards the concentration of the attractant while away the concentration of the repellent.
Introduction
Microbial cells can generally move under their own power and motility is essential for them because it allows bacterial cells to reach different parts of their environment. This can also aid in their survival by allowing the cells to move to an environment favourable for growth and to move away from environment dangerous to them. Two major types of motility are exhibited by bacteria and they are swimming and gliding motility. The difference between the two is that swimming, which is the most
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