chemotaxis
PhysiologySwimming Escherichia coli Cells Explore the Environment by Lévy WalkE. coli cells explore the environment in a random walk of alternating runs and tumbles. By tracking the 3D trajectories of E. coli cells in an aqueous environment, we found that their trajectories are superdiffusive, with a power-law shape for the distribution of run lengths, which is...
PhysiologySpatiotemporal Organization of Chemotaxis Pathways in Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldenseMagnetotactic bacteria (MTB) use the geomagnetic field for navigation in aquatic redox gradients. However, the highly complex signal transduction networks in these environmental microbes are poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the localization of selected chemotaxis proteins to spatially and temporally resolve chemotaxis array localization in Magnetospirillum...
Plant Microbiology | SpotlightSpecific Root Exudate Compounds Sensed by Dedicated Chemoreceptors Shape Azospirillum brasilense Chemotaxis in the RhizospherePlant root exudates play critical roles in shaping rhizosphere microbial communities, and the ability of motile bacteria to respond to these gradients mediates competitive colonization of root surfaces. Root exudates are complex chemical mixtures that are spatially and temporally dynamic. Identifying the exact chemical(s) that mediates the recruitment of soil bacteria to specific regions of the roots is thus challenging. Here, we...
Plant MicrobiologyCheY1 and CheY2 of Azorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 Regulate Chemotaxis and Competitive Colonization with the Host PlantAzorhizobium caulinodans ORS571 is a motile soil bacterium that has the dual capacity to fix nitrogen both under free-living conditions and in symbiosis with Sesbania rostrata, forming nitrogen-fixing root and stem nodules. Bacterial chemotaxis to chemoattractants derived from host roots promotes...
Environmental Microbiology | SpotlightTemperature and Nutrient Levels Correspond with Lineage-Specific Microdiversification in the Ubiquitous and Abundant Freshwater Genus LimnohabitansLimnohabitans is an important bacterial taxonomic group for cycling carbon in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Here, we examined the genomic diversity of different Limnohabitans lineages. We focused on the LimB lineage of this genus, which is globally distributed and often abundant, and its abundance has shown to be largely invariant to environmental change. Our data show that the LimB lineage is actually comprised of...
PhysiologyChemotaxis of Pseudomonas putida F1 to Alcohols Is Mediated by the Carboxylic Acid Receptor McfPAlcohols, released as fermentation products and produced as intermediates in the catabolism of many organic compounds, including hydrocarbons and fatty acids, are common components of the microbial food web in soil and sediments. Although they serve as good carbon and energy sources for many soil bacteria, alcohols have primarily been reported to be repellents rather than attractants for motile bacteria. Little is known about how...
- Environmental MicrobiologyHeterologous Expression of Pseudomonas putida Methyl-Accepting Chemotaxis Proteins Yields Escherichia coli Cells Chemotactic to Aromatic Compounds
Bacterial chemotaxis might be harnessed for the development of rapid biosensors, in which chemical availability is deduced from cell accumulation to chemoattractants over time. Chemotaxis of Escherichia coli has been well studied, but the bacterium is not attracted to chemicals of environmental concern, such as aromatic solvents. We show here that heterologous...
- Genetics and Molecular BiologyA cheZ-Like Gene in Azorhizobium caulinodans Is a Key Gene in the Control of Chemotaxis and Colonization of the Host Plant