Adsorption of polarly flagellated bacteria to surfaces

Studies have been made of the initial stages in adsorption of several polarly flagellated marine bacteria to glass surfaces. Bacteria attach at the pole of flagellar insertion, and after a brief period (from a few seconds to a few minutes) of rotation around the attachment axis, become immobile. Soma do not spin or gyrate while the organisms rotate slowly. Flagellar activity continues for several minutes after soma immobilization. Tween 80 inhibits bacterial attachment, and deflagellated organisms do not adsorb to glass. Bacteria rendered nonmotile with sodium azide (NaN₃) rapidly adsorb to glass and cannot be removed by washing with artificial seawater or a solution of 2.4% NaCl. It is proposed that both flagella-surface and somasurface interactions are involved in bacterial attachment. Bacterial flagella may play an important ecological role as attachment organelles.