Abstract
We have isolated 40 mutants of Escherichia coli which are nonchemotactic as judged by their failure to swarm on semisolid tryptone plates or to make bands in capillary tubes containing tryptone broth. All the mutants have normal flagella, a fact shown by their shape and reaction with antiflagella serum. All are fully motile under the microscope and all are sensitive to the phage chi. Unlike its parent, one of the mutants, studied in greater detail, failed to show chemotaxis toward oxygen, glucose, serine, threonine, or aspartic acid. The failure to exhibit chemotaxis does not result from a failure to use the chemicals. The swimming of this mutant was shown to be random. The growth rate was normal under several conditions, and the growth requirements were unchanged.
Full text
PDF








Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Adler J. Chemotaxis in bacteria. Science. 1966 Aug 12;153(3737):708–716. doi: 10.1126/science.153.3737.708. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Adler J. Effect of amino acids and oxygen on chemotaxis in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1966 Jul;92(1):121–129. doi: 10.1128/jb.92.1.121-129.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- BARACCHINI O., SHERRIS J. C. The chemotactic effect of oxygen on bacteria. J Pathol Bacteriol. 1959 Apr;77(2):565–574. doi: 10.1002/path.1700770228. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- COETZEE J. N., SACKS T. G. Morphological variants of Proteus hauseri. J Gen Microbiol. 1960 Oct;23:209–216. doi: 10.1099/00221287-23-2-209. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- COETZEE J. N. TRANSDUCTION OF SWARMING IN PROTEUS MIRABILIS. J Gen Microbiol. 1963 Oct;33:1–7. doi: 10.1099/00221287-33-1-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HOENIGER J. F. CELLULAR CHANGES ACCOMPANYING THE SWARMING OF PROTEUS MIRABILIS. I. OBSERVATIONS OF LIVING CULTURES. Can J Microbiol. 1964 Feb;10:1–9. doi: 10.1139/m64-001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- HUGHES W. H. A reconsideration of the swarming of Proteus vulgaris. J Gen Microbiol. 1957 Aug;17(1):49–58. doi: 10.1099/00221287-17-1-49. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Joys T. M., Stocker B. A. Complementation of non-flagellate Salmonella mutants. J Gen Microbiol. 1965 Oct;41(1):47–55. doi: 10.1099/00221287-41-1-47. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LEIFSON E. Staining, shape and arrangement of bacterial flagella. J Bacteriol. 1951 Oct;62(4):377–389. doi: 10.1128/jb.62.4.377-389.1951. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- MEYNELL E. W. A phage, phi chi, which attacks motile bacteria. J Gen Microbiol. 1961 Jun;25:253–290. doi: 10.1099/00221287-25-2-253. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- SHERRIS J. C., PRESTON N. W., SHOESMITH J. G. The influence of oxygen and arginine on the motility of a strain of Pseudomonas sp. J Gen Microbiol. 1957 Feb;16(1):86–96. doi: 10.1099/00221287-16-1-86. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- TAYLOR A. L., THOMAN M. S. THE GENETIC MAP OF ESCHERICHIA COLI K-12. Genetics. 1964 Oct;50:659–677. doi: 10.1093/genetics/50.4.659. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]