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Microbial Geotaxis

  • Chapter
Membranes and Sensory Transduction

Abstract

Many motile microorganisms can distribute themselves asymmetrically in a vertical water column by a number of orientation behaviors, among them geotaxis. A flurry of early studies (1880–1920) generated reports on the physical, chemical, and behavioral character of geotaxis, as well as several hypotheses that might explain its occurrence. These observations and hypotheses have been discussed by Davenport (1908), Dryl (1974), Kuznicki (1968), and Haupt (1962). There is widespread agreement on several features of geotaxis.

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  1. Department of Biology, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 18015, USA

    Barry Bean

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  1. Institute of Biophysics, National Research Council, Pisa, 56100, Italy

    Giuliano Colombetti  & Francesco Lenci  & 

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Bean, B. (1984). Microbial Geotaxis. In: Colombetti, G., Lenci, F. (eds) Membranes and Sensory Transduction. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-2675-5_5

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