Differential Dynamic Microscopy of Bacterial Motility
Abstract
We demonstrate 'differential dynamic microscopy' (DDM) for the fast, high throughput characterization of the dynamics of active particles. Specifically, we characterize the swimming speed distribution and the fraction of motile cells in suspensions of Escherichia coli bacteria. By averaging over ~10^4 cells, our results are highly accurate compared to conventional tracking. The diffusivity of non-motile cells is enhanced by an amount proportional to the concentration of motile cells.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1004.4764,
title = {Differential Dynamic Microscopy of Bacterial Motility},
author = {Laurence G. Wilson and Vincent A. Martinez and Jana Schwarz-Linek and J. Tailleur and Peter N. Pusey and Gary Bryant and Wilson C. K. Poon},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1004.4764},
year = {2011}
}
Comments
4 pages, 4 figures. In this updated version we have added simulations to support our interpretation, and changed the model for the swimming speed probability distribution from log-normal to a Schulz distribution. Neither modification significantly changes our conclusions