Patterns of Bacterial Growth

Introduction

For the purposes of identifying patterns of growth, bacteria colonies can be through of as multicellular organisms. (info about communication)

Patterns of growth are a result of bacteria adapting their behavior to suit their environment.

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Electron micrograph of the Ebola Zaire virus. This was the first photo ever taken of the virus, on 10/13/1976. By Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, then at the CDC.

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Diffusion-Limited Aggregation

Electron micrograph of the Ebola Zaire virus. This was the first photo ever taken of the virus, on 10/13/1976. By Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, then at the CDC.

Diffusion-Limited Aggregation (DLA) is a growth model that results in complex, multi-branched forms. It can be applied to any system where diffusion is the main method of particle transportation. It can be observed in bacterial growth on agar plates, dendrites, dust balls, electrodeposition, and mineral deposits.

To form a DLA pattern, begin with a seed molecule at the origin of the lattice. A "random walker" molecule diffuses from far away in a random pattern of motion. It stops once it reaches a space adjacent to the seed molecule, and another random walker is launched. In a DLA lattice, a molecule that sticks out of a main branch will not be rounded or smoothed over by new growth, but rather emphasized. Nodes are more likely to catch wandering particles because they three facets available for growth, compared to a molecule in the branch, which only has one facet.

Agar Density

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Electron micrograph of the Ebola Zaire virus. This was the first photo ever taken of the virus, on 10/13/1976. By Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, then at the CDC.

Nutrient Density

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Conclusion

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