A function of polar flagellum and anisotropic growth in Vibrio alginolyticus early-phase colonies

We continuously observed growth of Vibrio alginolyticus early-phase colonies on agar plates by phase-contrast microscopy. Two mutants defective in motility on solid surfaces were used in this study: one (YM4) can swim in liquid environments using its polar flagellum, and the other (NMB198) cannot swim because it lacks any flagella. We found that isolated colonies of YM4 were generally more circular than those of NMB198. This observation suggests that YM4 cells moved slightly within a colony by the function of their polar flagella. For clustered colonies, where the distance between the colonies was short (<50 microm), the colonies of YM4 grew rapidly along the line between them, but they grew slowly in the lateral directions. Some colonies of NMB198 grew toward neighboring colonies. These observations indicate colony-to-colony interaction.