Biomaterial Database

Motility and chemotaxis of Spirochaeta aurantia: computer-assisted motion analysis. 1988

K Fosnaugh, and E P Greenberg

Department of Microbiology, New York State College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853.

A computer program has been designed to study behavior in populations of Spirochaeta aurantia cells, and this program has been used to analyze changes in behavior in response to chemoattractants. Three kinds of behavior were distinguished: smooth swimming, flexing, and reversals in direction of swimming after a short pause (120 ms). Cell populations exposed to chemoattractants spent, on average, 66, 33, and 1% of the time in these modes, respectively. After the addition of a chemoattractant, behavior was modified transiently--smooth swimming increased, flexing decreased, and reversals were suppressed. After addition of D-xylose (final concentration, 10 mM), the adaptation time (the time required for the populations to return to the unmodified behavior) for S. aurantia was 1.5 to 2.0 min. A model to explain the behavior of S. aurantia and the response of cells to chemoattractants is described. This model includes a coordinating mechanism for flagellar motor operation and a motor switch synchronizing device.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002465	Cell Movement	The movement of cells from one location to another. Distinguish from CYTOKINESIS which is the process of dividing the CYTOPLASM of a cell.	Cell Migration,Locomotion, Cell,Migration, Cell,Motility, Cell,Movement, Cell,Cell Locomotion,Cell Motility,Cell Movements,Movements, Cell
D002630	Chemotactic Factors	Chemical substances that attract or repel cells. The concept denotes especially those factors released as a result of tissue injury, microbial invasion, or immunologic activity, that attract LEUKOCYTES; MACROPHAGES; or other cells to the site of infection or insult.	Chemoattractant,Chemotactic Factor,Chemotaxin,Chemotaxins,Cytotaxinogens,Cytotaxins,Macrophage Chemotactic Factor,Chemoattractants,Chemotactic Factors, Macrophage,Macrophage Chemotactic Factors,Chemotactic Factor, Macrophage,Factor, Chemotactic,Factor, Macrophage Chemotactic
D002633	Chemotaxis	The movement of cells or organisms toward or away from a substance in response to its concentration gradient.	Haptotaxis
D012984	Software	Sequential operating programs and data which instruct the functioning of a digital computer.	Computer Programs,Computer Software,Open Source Software,Software Engineering,Software Tools,Computer Applications Software,Computer Programs and Programming,Computer Software Applications,Application, Computer Software,Applications Software, Computer,Applications Softwares, Computer,Applications, Computer Software,Computer Applications Softwares,Computer Program,Computer Software Application,Engineering, Software,Open Source Softwares,Program, Computer,Programs, Computer,Software Application, Computer,Software Applications, Computer,Software Tool,Software, Computer,Software, Computer Applications,Software, Open Source,Softwares, Computer Applications,Softwares, Open Source,Source Software, Open,Source Softwares, Open,Tool, Software,Tools, Software
D013142	Spirochaeta	A genus of flexible, spiral rods found in hydrogen sulfide-containing mud, sewage, and polluted water. None of the species properly referred to in this genus are pathogenic.
D014994	Xylose		D-Xylose,D Xylose