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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides

Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides

Published on: September 7, 2019

High-resolution archaellum structure reveals a conserved metal-binding site.

Vladimir A Meshcheryakov¹, Satoshi Shibata¹, Makoto Tokoro Schreiber¹

¹Molecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Kunigami, Okinawa, Japan.

|March 23, 2019

Summary

Archaella, the archaeal flagella, are primarily composed of FlaB1. A conserved metal-binding site in FlaB1 is crucial for maintaining archaellum filament integrity, as revealed by structural and biochemical analyses.

Keywords:

Methanococcus archaea cryo‐EM electron energy‐loss spectroscopy helical reconstruction

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Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Techniques for Determining the Structure and Mechanisms of Metal Ion Recognition and Redox Activity of Metal Binding Oligopeptides

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Area of Science:

Microbiology
Structural Biology
Biochemistry

Background:

Archaella enable archaeal motility but differ structurally and evolutionarily from bacterial flagella.
Understanding archaellum assembly and stability requires detailed molecular insights.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the molecular structure and composition of Methanococcus archaella.
To identify key components and stabilizing factors of the archaellum.

Main Methods:

X-ray crystallography of Methanocaldococcus jannaschii FlaB1.
Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) of Methanococcus maripaludis archaella.
Mass spectrometry and electron energy-loss spectroscopy.

Main Results:

Determined the 1.5 Å crystal structure of FlaB1 and a 4 Å cryo-EM reconstruction of archaella.
Identified FlaB1 as the predominant archaellum component.
Discovered N-linked glycosylation and a conserved metal-binding site in FlaB1.
Validated the metal-binding site's necessity for filament integrity in vitro.

Conclusions:

Archaella are mainly composed of FlaB1, with a conserved metal-binding site essential for filament stability.
Structural and biochemical data provide a foundation for understanding archaellum function and evolution.