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. 1996 Aug;178(16):5024–5026. doi: 10.1128/jb.178.16.5024-5026.1996

Effect of viscosity on swimming by the lateral and polar flagella of Vibrio alginolyticus.

T Atsumi 1, Y Maekawa 1, T Yamada 1, I Kawagishi 1, Y Imae 1, M Homma 1
PMCID: PMC178290  PMID: 8759871

Abstract

By using mutants of Vibrio alginolyticus with only a polar flagellum (Pof+ Laf-) or only lateral flagella (Pof- Laf+), we examined the relationship between swimming speed and the viscosity of the medium for each flagellar system. Pof+ Laf- cells could not swim in the high-viscosity environment (ca. 200 cP) in which Pof- Laf+ cells swam at 20 microns/s. The Pof- Laf+ cells swam at about 20 microns/s at normal viscosity (1 cP) without the viscous agent, and the speed increased to 40 microns/s at about 5 cP and then decreased gradually as the viscosity was increased further. These results show the functional difference between polar and lateral flagella in viscous environments.

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Selected References

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