How does chemo-taxis work in bacteria?

Chemo-taxis in bacteria is the movement of these microorganisms toward or away from chemical stimuli in their environment. Bacteria detect chemical gradients through specialized receptors on their surface, which bind to specific attractants or repellents. This binding triggers a signaling cascade that alters the rotation of flagella, allowing bacteria to swim toward favorable environments (attractants) or away from harmful substances (repellents). The process is typically characterized by a series of runs and tumbles, where longer runs indicate movement toward attractants and more frequent tumbles indicate a change in direction.