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Bacterial flagella rotate and do not contract

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Summary

When squeezed between slides which restrict the rotation of the flagella, the cell body ofSpirillum volutans can be seen to rotate, while the flagellar bundle is motionless. This proves that the flagella rotate with respect to the cell body. The appearance of helical waves on the flagella is not a result of flagellar contractility or bending, but results from a simple rotation of the rigid, helical flagella.

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  1. Robert Jarosch

    Present address: Institute of Botany, University of Salzburg, Freisalweg 16, A-5020, Salzburg, Austria

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Botany, University of Salzburg, Freisalweg 16, A-5020, Salzburg, Austria

    Michael Mussill

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  1. Michael Mussill
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  2. Robert Jarosch
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Mussill, M., Jarosch, R. Bacterial flagella rotate and do not contract. Protoplasma 75, 465–469 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01282123

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01282123

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