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Band formation by magnetotactic spirillum bacteria in oxygen concentration gradient

K. Ērglis1 - D. Zhulenkovs1 - M. Belovs2 - J. Valeinis2 - A. Cēbers1

1 Laboratory of Magnetic Soft Materials, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
2 Department of Mathematics, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia

Abstract
The formation of a band of magnetotactic bacteria in a capillary with an open end under the action of longitudinal magnetic field is studied both theoretically and experimentally. It is shown that a set of two hyperbolic equations taking into account the dependence of the frequency of reversals of the bacterium rotary motor on the oxygen concentration predicts the formation of a band with exponential tails. Fit of the experimentally obtained bacteria concentration in the oxygen concentration gradient allows to determine the variation of the switching frequencies against the oxygen concentration. Figs 8, Refs 11.

Magnetohydrodynamics 48, No. 4, 607-614, 2012 [PDF, 0.43 Mb]

Copyright: Institute of Physics, University of Latvia
Electronic edition ISSN 1574-0579
Printed edition ISSN 0024-998X
DOI: http://doi.org/10.22364/mhd