Flagellar protein: Difference between revisions

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Proteopedia Page Contributors and Editors (what is this?)Proteopedia Page Contributors and Editors (what is this?)

Eric Martz, Fadel A. Samatey, Michal Harel, Joel L. Sussman, Jaime Prilusky

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 The bacterial flagellum is made up of about 25 different proteins. There are only a few copies of some proteins, and tens of thousands of copies of the filament protein, FliC. The flagellum is made up of three major regions, as follows.
-'''Motor:''' At the base of a bacterial flagellum is a reversible '''motor''', also called the '''basal body'''. The source of energy driving the motor is an electromotive gradient of, in some bacteria, protons (hydrogen ions, H<sup>+</sup>) or, in other bacteria, sodium ions (Na<sup>+</sup>). The  gradient has a higher concentration of ions outside the cell, and a lower concentration of ions inside the cell. Ions flow from outside to inside the bacterial cell, passing through the motor and driving its rotation by a mechanism which is poorly understood.
+===Motor===
+At the base of a bacterial flagellum is a reversible '''motor''', also called the '''basal body'''. The source of energy driving the motor is an electromotive gradient of, in some bacteria, protons (hydrogen ions, H<sup>+</sup>) or, in other bacteria, sodium ions (Na<sup>+</sup>). The  gradient has a higher concentration of ions outside the cell, and a lower concentration of ions inside the cell. Ions flow from outside to inside the bacterial cell, passing through the motor and driving its rotation by a mechanism which is poorly understood.
-'''Filament:''' The [[Flagellar filament of bacteria|flagellar filament]] is a relatively rigid, helical rod, typically many times the length of the bacterial cell. Many motile bacteria, including ''Salmonella'', have multiple flagella extending from each cell. Rotation of the filaments by the motor is what propels the cell.
+===Filament (Propeller) ===
+The [[Flagellar filament of bacteria|flagellar filament]] is a relatively rigid, helical rod, typically many times the length of the bacterial cell. Many motile bacteria, including ''Salmonella'', have multiple flagella extending from each cell. Rotation of the filaments by the motor is what propels the cell.
-'''Hook:''' The filament is attached to the motor with  the [[Flagellar hook of bacteria|flagellar hook]], which is a molecular [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint universal joint]. The hook is flexible, allowing the angle between the filament and the bacterial cell surface to change over a wide range. However, the hook efficiently transmits [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque torque] from the motor to the filament, causing it to rotate.
-<font color="orange">
-Plan: make the image at right clickable, linking to articles on substructures.
-</font>
+===Hook (Universal Joint)===
+The filament is attached to the motor with  the [[Flagellar hook of bacteria|flagellar hook]], which is a molecular [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_joint universal joint]. The hook is flexible, allowing the angle between the filament and the bacterial cell surface to change over a wide range. However, the hook efficiently transmits [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque torque] from the motor to the filament, causing it to rotate.
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