Microfluidic devices to simulate porous soil: modeling Bradyrhizorbium diazoefficiens motility

PIRES MONTEIRO M.; A. LODEIRO; S. MONTAGNA; V.I. MARCONI; M. L. CORDERO

Antofagasta

Simposio; XXI Simposio Chileno de Física; 2018

Microfluidic devices to simulate porous soil: modeling Bradyrhizorbium diazoefficiens motilitySeveral works are being developed to describemotility of bacteria propelled by flagella. Inliquid medium the run-tumble model is wellestabilished to Escherichia coli and Salmonella[1].Our system of interested is a soil bacterium,Bradyrhizorbium diazoefficiens, that possessestwo different flagellar systems, subpolarflagella and lateral flagella [2]. This bacteriumfixes atmospheric N2 in simbiosis with soybean,being used as biofertilizer. However its directinoculation in the soil is not enough foragroeconomic purposes, still requiring nitrogensupplementation.We use microfluidic devices to simulateobstacles similar to the pores present in the soilto study the bacterial motility.