Directed Movements Toward or Away from a Chemical or Physical

Question

Directed movements toward or away from a chemical or physical signal are known as
A) gliding.
B) flagellation.
C) chemotaxis.
D) locomotion.
E) slime layer.

Accepted Answer

Chemotaxis is the specific response of a cell to a chemical stimulus, i.e. directed movement towards a chemical gradient. Gliding (A) is a type of directed movement in bacteria, but it does not necessarily involve a chemical or physical signal. Flagellation (B) refers to the presence of flagella, which are used by motile cells to propel themselves, but it does not describe the specific response to a signal. Locomotion (D) is a general term for movement, but it does not specify whether it is directed or not. Slime layer (E) is a type of extracellular matrix produced by bacteria, which can aid in motility, but it is not directly related to directed movement in response to a signal.