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.