EFFECT OF CHEMICAL AGENTS ON SWARMING OF BACILLUS SPECIES

摘要

The effect of 58 chemical compounds belonging to different categories, viz. antibiotics, detergents, surfactants, nutrients and salts of organic and inorganic acids, were tested on swarming of Bacillus species comprising B. coagulans, B. circulans, B. alvei and B. subtilis by spot inoculation method. Carbohydrates, vitamins, amino acids and other nutrient compounds such as peptone, with the exception of vitamin-free casamino acids induced considerable swarming. An inhibition of swarming was noticed by antiseptics, detergents and surfactants; but the extent of swarming differed among the chemicals tested, their concentration and the bacterial strains. Most of the compounds that inhibited swarming were these which acted on flagellar mechanism and motility. The results support the theory that formation of lateral flagella is a prerequisite for inhibition of swarming.