Abstract
Bacterial motility is one important factor that affects biofilm formation. In drinking water there are key bacteria in aggregation, whose biology acts to enhance the formation of biofilms. However, it is unclear whether the motility of these key bacteria is an important factor for the interactions between bacteria in drinking water, and, subsequently, in the formation of aggregates, which are precursors to biofilms. Thus, the role of the motility of one of these key bacteria, the Methylobacterium strain DSM 18358, was investigated in the interactions between bacteria in drinking water. The motility of pure Methylobacterium colonies was initially explored; if it was affected by the viscosity of substrate, the temperature, the available energy and the type of substrate. Furthermore, the role of Methylobacterium in the interactions between mixed drinking water bacteria was investigated under the mostly favourable conditions for the motility of Methylobacterium identified before. Overall, the motility of Methylobacterium was found to play a key role in the communication and interactions between bacteria in drinking water. Understanding the role of the motility of key bacteria in drinking water might be useful for the water industry as a potential tool to control the formation of biofilms in drinking water pipes.
Highlights
Bacterial motility is one important factor that affects the adhesion of bacteria to a surface
In the of firstdifferent motility levels experiment, it wason found that the viscosity and the temperature had significant the effect of energy the motility of Methylobacterium, it was found that the effects on the motility of
In the third motility experiment, it was found that the absence of energy affected the motility of Methylobacterium, which was found to be further decreased when drinking water was used as the available medium
Summary
Bacterial motility is one important factor that affects the adhesion of bacteria to a surface. Bacterial adhesion is the first stage for the formation of biofilms on an available substrate. Bacterial appendages, such as flagella, fimbriae, and pili, are found to function as bridges between cells and surfaces and might contribute so that bacteria attach irreversibly to the surfaces. These cell appendages are closely related to the cell motility [1,2]. Cell motility is an important factor that affects bacterial detachment. In particular, under low flow conditions, cell motility is important for the transport of bacteria from the bulk water to the exposed surfaces [6,7,8]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
