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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Biophysical Characterization of Flagellar Motor Functions
Published on: January 18, 2017
Bacterial and archaeal flagella as prokaryotic motility organelles
1Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia. metlina@belozersky.msu.ru
Abstract:
The properties and molecular organization of flagella--the bacterial and archaeal motility organelles--are reviewed. The organization of these functional motility elements of prokaryotic organisms belonging to different kingdoms is compared. A mechanism for both in vivo and in vitro assembly of bacterial flagellum filaments (BFFs) is discussed, and similarity is supposed between flagellin and actin with regard to their polymeric forms (BFF and F-actin). Our own data on intracellular fixation of the Halobacterium salinarium flagellum are presented. Comparative characteristics of intracellular fixation of bacterial and archaeal flagella are also described.
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