TY - GEN
T1 - Asymmetric swimming motion of singly flagellated bacteria near a rigid surface
AU - Goto, Tomonobu
AU - Kudo, Seishi
AU - Magariyama, Yukio
PY - 2008/1/1
Y1 - 2008/1/1
N2 - This paper gives an overview of consecutive studies on the asymmetrical motion of Vibrio alginolyticus cells, which possess a single polar flagellum. Inertial forces are negligible because of the cell size and the motion is expected to be symmetrical. However, asymmetrical characteristics between forward and backward motions were observed. The asymmetry observed in trajectory, swimming speed, and residence time appears only when a cell swims close to a surface. In backward motion, a cell traces circular path, while in forward motion the cell moves in a straight line. The backward swimming speed is faster than the forward speed. Backward swimming cells tend to stay close to a surface longer than forward swimming cells do. An explanation for these asymmetrical characteristics is given based on the results of boundary element analyses of creeping flow around a cell model that consists of a cell body and a rotating flagellum. According to the explanation, the attitude of a cell relative to a surface produces the asymmetry. The studies presented here indicate that the fluid-dynamic interaction between bacterial cells and a surface produces the unexpected asymmetrical motion. This asymmetry may help cells search for preferable states on a surface or to attach to the surface.
AB - This paper gives an overview of consecutive studies on the asymmetrical motion of Vibrio alginolyticus cells, which possess a single polar flagellum. Inertial forces are negligible because of the cell size and the motion is expected to be symmetrical. However, asymmetrical characteristics between forward and backward motions were observed. The asymmetry observed in trajectory, swimming speed, and residence time appears only when a cell swims close to a surface. In backward motion, a cell traces circular path, while in forward motion the cell moves in a straight line. The backward swimming speed is faster than the forward speed. Backward swimming cells tend to stay close to a surface longer than forward swimming cells do. An explanation for these asymmetrical characteristics is given based on the results of boundary element analyses of creeping flow around a cell model that consists of a cell body and a rotating flagellum. According to the explanation, the attitude of a cell relative to a surface produces the asymmetry. The studies presented here indicate that the fluid-dynamic interaction between bacterial cells and a surface produces the unexpected asymmetrical motion. This asymmetry may help cells search for preferable states on a surface or to attach to the surface.
KW - Asymmetry
KW - Bacterial motion
KW - Boundary element analysis
KW - Creeping flow
KW - Fluid-dynamic interaction
KW - Swimming speed
KW - Trajectory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84906671851&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84906671851&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-4-431-73380-5_1
DO - 10.1007/978-4-431-73380-5_1
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84906671851
SN - 9784431733799
T3 - Bio-Mechanisms of Swimming and Flying: Fluid Dynamics, Biomimetic Robots, and Sports Science
SP - 3
EP - 15
BT - Bio-Mechanisms of Swimming and Flying
PB - Springer Tokyo
T2 - 3rd International Symposium on Aero Aqua Bio-Mechanisms, ISABMEC 2006
Y2 - 3 July 2006 through 7 July 2006
ER -