Periodic variety in swarming motility of Proteus mirabilis

Objective To investigate the periodic variety at the germ form, quantity, flagellar expression and activity of breath enzyme etc during the swarming motility of Proteus mirabilis (PM). Methods The 2, 3, 5-tetraphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), as indictor of breath enzyme, was added to the culture medium. Electronic microscope was adopted to observe the germ form and flagellar. Quantity of PM was measured by turbidimetry. Results During the PM growth and migration at LB medium, the germ quantity reduced and form changed from short and small to long and thin, flagellar got more and breath enzyme turned into inactive. Conclusion At the LB medium, PM in growth process appeared varieties in length of germ body, flagellar quantity and germs density, etc. PM in solid medium appeared wave motility, resulting from many factors including the environment, the signal transduction in cells and the density of germ.