Bacterial chemotaxis and swimming motility are fundamental behaviors that allow bacteria to sense and respond to their environment. These behaviors have been studied for decades using a diverse range of experimental approaches, including live-cell imaging, automated tracking, soft-gel migration assays, capillary assays, tethering, mathematical modeling, and fluorescence-based methods for studying chemotactic signaling. Recent advances in microscopy, image analysis, genetic tools, and quantitative approaches are enabling increasingly detailed measurements of bacterial movement, behavior, and signaling, while new methods are expanding the range of organisms and environmental conditions in which these behaviors can be studied.

However, the diversity of experimental approaches and continued development of new techniques can make it challenging to identify and implement appropriate methods for studying bacterial chemotaxis, chemokinesis, and swimming motility, especially for those new to the field. There is therefore a need for accessible, reproducible descriptions of both established and emerging methods, including approaches for linking chemoeffector responses to specific chemoreceptors and for dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying behavioral responses.

In this JoVE Topical Collection, we bring together researchers using diverse approaches to study bacterial chemotaxis, chemokinesis, and swimming motility, with the goal of providing an up-to-date resource for both established researchers and newcomers to the field. We welcome submissions describing traditional and novel experimental approaches, as well as reviews and research findings that advance the study of bacterial chemotaxis and swimming behavior. This includes original research investigating the molecular mechanisms, regulation, and biological roles of these behaviors.