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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1977 Nov;74(11):4752–4756. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.11.4752

Sensory electrophysiology of bacteria: relationship of the membrane potential to motility and chemotaxis in Bacillus subtilis.

J B Miller, D E Koshland Jr
PMCID: PMC432033  PMID: 412194

Abstract

The relationship of membrane potential to motility and chemotaxis of Bacillus subtilis has been tested by using the fluorescence of a cyanine dye as a probe of the potential. The dye fluorescence was found to be an indicator of membrane potential by correlation with triphenylmethylphosphonium ion distribution and with changes due to anaerobicity and ionophore addition. When the potential was sufficient for motility and constant over time, it was found that the absolute level of the potential did not affect the swimming behavior of the bacteria. Transient alteration of the membrane potential did, however, lead to changes in swimming behavior. Attractants were found to alter the swimming behavior of the bacteria without altering the membrane potential. Thus, change of the overall membrane potential of a normal B. subtilis is not required for chemotaxis, but such a change is sensed by the bacteria just as changing levels of attractants and repellents are sensed.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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