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Swimming efficiently by wrapping
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 September 2024
Abstract
Single-flagellated bacteria are ubiquitous in nature. They exhibit various swimming modes using their flagella to explore complex surroundings such as soil and porous polymer networks. Some single-flagellated bacteria swim with two distinct modes, one with the flagellum extended away from its body and another with the flagellum wrapped around it. The wrapped mode has been observed when bacteria swim under tight confinements or in highly viscous polymeric melts. In this study we investigate the hydrodynamics of these two modes inside a circular pipe. We find that the wrapped mode is slower than the extended mode in bulk but more efficient under strong confinement due to a hydrodynamic increase of its flagellum translation–rotation coupling and an Archimedes’ screw-like configuration that helps to move the fluid along the pipe.
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- © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press
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Gidituri et al. supplementary movie 1
In plane velocity field around a bacterium swimming in the extended and the wrapped mode. In these simulations only the flagellum orientation is updated to ease the comparison between both swimming modes. In the wrapped mode the flagellum works as an Archimedes' screw helping to push fluid to the back of the bacterium.
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1.8 MB
Gidituri et al. supplementary movie 2
Cross-section view of a bacterium swimming in the extended and the wrapped mode inside a wide pipe. The bacterium in the extended mode is hydrodynamically attracted to the pipe's walls and it reaches a steady state distance to them. The bacterium in the wrapped mode is repelled by the walls and it does not reach a steady state distance.
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6.2 MB
Gidituri et al. supplementary movie 3
A bacterium in both swimming modes swimming inside a narrow pipe. The bacterium in the extended mode is constrained to swim parallel to the pipe axis while the bacterium in the wrapped mode shows a precession motion around its main axis and a tilt towards the pipe's walls.
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6.3 MB
Gidituri et al. supplementary movie 4
A bacterium with a long flagellum swimming inside a narrow pipe. If the flagellum is long enough it constraints the bacterium in both swimming modes to swim parallel to the pipe axis.
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6.3 MB