Faculty Collaboration Database

The archaeal flagellum: a different kind of prokaryotic motility structure. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2001 Apr;25(2):147-74

Date

03/16/2001

Pubmed ID

11250034

DOI

10.1111/j.1574-6976.2001.tb00575.x

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0035105745 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   121 Citations

Abstract

The archaeal flagellum is a unique motility apparatus distinct in composition and likely in assembly from the bacterial flagellum. Gene families comprised of multiple flagellin genes co-transcribed with a number of conserved, archaeal-specific accessory genes have been identified in several archaea. However, no homologues of any bacterial genes involved in flagella structure have yet been identified in any archaeon, including those archaea in which the complete genome sequence has been published. Archaeal flagellins possess a highly conserved hydrophobic N-terminal sequence that is similar to that of type IV pilins and clearly unlike that of bacterial flagellins. Also unlike bacterial flagellins but similar to type IV pilins, archaeal flagellins are initially synthesized with a short leader peptide that is cleaved by a membrane-located peptidase. With recent advances in genetic transfer systems in archaea, knockouts have been reported in several genes involved in flagellation in different archaea. In addition, techniques to isolate flagella with attached hook and anchoring structures have been developed. Analysis of these preparations is under way to identify minor structural components of archaeal flagella. This and the continued isolation and characterization of flagella mutants should lead to significant advances in our knowledge of the composition and assembly of archaeal flagella.

Author List

Thomas NA, Bardy SL, Jarrell KF

Author

Sonia L. Bardy in the Biological Sciences department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Amino Acid Sequence
Animals
Archaea
Archaeal Proteins
Flagella
Flagellin
Genome, Archaeal
Humans
Molecular Sequence Data
Movement
Mutation
Oligopeptides
Protein Precursors
Species Specificity