Chemotaxis Away from 4‐Chloro‐2‐nitrophenol, 4‐Nitrophenol, and 2,6‐Dichloro‐4‐nitrophenol by Bacillus subtilis PA‐2

Bacterial strain PA‐2 exhibits chemotaxis away from 4‐chloro‐2‐nitrophenol, 4‐nitrophenol, and 2,6‐dichloro‐4‐nitrophenol. This strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The drop plate assay and the chemical‐in‐plug method were used to demonstrate negative chemotactic behavior of strain PA‐2. The growth studies showed that strain PA‐2 did not utilize 4‐chloro‐2‐nitrophenol, 4‐nitrophenol, and 2,6‐dichloro‐4‐nitrophenol as its sole sources of carbon and energy. This is the first report of negative chemotaxis of 4‐chloro‐2‐nitrophenol, 4‐nitrophenol, and 2,6‐dichloro‐4‐nitrophenol by any bacterium.