Aerotaxis
Aerotaxis is the movement caused by oxygen gradients. Positive aerotaxis involves the movement toward higher concentration of environmental oxygen, while negative aerotaxis involves the movement towards a lower concentration of environmental oxygen . Aerotactic bacteria gather around sources of air forming aerotactic bands. Discovery The discovery of aerotaxis was first reported by Theodore Wilhelm Engelmann, as he showed microaerophilic ''Spirillum tenue'' were attracted by low oxygen concentrations. Ten decades after the first discovery of this movement, it was observed that bacteria are actually bound to areas with optimal oxygen concentrations; resulting in the formation of bands. It was concluded that the creations of these bands was largely in part to Oxygen's important role in metabolic pathways as they allowed for surveying aerotaxis in many bacterial species. This ability proves to be important for survival as efficient metabolism directly relates to growth. Aerotaxis not ...
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