Flagellation of Pseudomonas putida and analysis of its motile behavior.

Pseudomonas putida flagella were examined. Also, changes in motile behavior in response to chemoattractants were analyzed quantitatively by computer. Reversals in the rotation direction of bundles of polar flagella resulted in changes in swimming direction. Cells swimming in buffer changed direction once every 2 s on average, whereas cells exposed to the attractant benzoate changed direction an average of once every 10 s. The findings show that P. putida responds to temporal gradients of chemoattractant by suppressing changes in the direction of rotation of flagella.