Swarming motility in undomesticated Bacillus subtilis

Summary Swarming motility was identified and characterized in an undomesticated strain of Bacillus subtilis. Rapid surface migration was preceded by a cell density‐dependent lag period, which could be eliminated if actively swarming cells were used as the inoculum. The leading edge of the swarm was...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular microbiology 2003-08, Vol.49 (3), p.581-590
Main Authors: Kearns, Daniel B., Losick, Richard
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bacillus subtilis - physiology
Bacillus subtilis - ultrastructure
Bacteriological Techniques
Flagella - physiology
Lipopeptides
Locomotion - physiology
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Microscopy, Video
Peptides, Cyclic - physiology
Phenotype
Selection, Genetic
Species Specificity
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Summary Swarming motility was identified and characterized in an undomesticated strain of Bacillus subtilis. Rapid surface migration was preceded by a cell density‐dependent lag period, which could be eliminated if actively swarming cells were used as the inoculum. The leading edge of the swarm was characterized by multicellular rafts of highly flagellated cells. Flagellum biosynthesis and surfactant production were required for swarming. Swarming was not found in any of several standard laboratory strains. Laboratory strains are characteristically unable to produce surfactant, but such a strain remained unable to swarm even when surfactant was provided by extracellular complementation. We conclude that robust swarming is a feature of undomesticated B. subtilis and that this behaviour has been lost or attenuated in laboratory strains through the accumulation of multiple genetic defects.
ISSN:0950-382X
1365-2958
DOI:10.1046/j.1365-2958.2003.03584.x