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Polar and lateral flagellar motors of marine Vibrio are driven by different ion-motive forces

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Abstract

VARIOUS species of marine Vibrio produce two distinct types of flagella, each adapted for a different type of motility1. A single, sheathed polar flagellum is suited for swimming in liquid medium, and numerous unsheathed lateral flagella, which are produced only under viscous conditions, are suited for swarming over viscous surfaces2-3. Both types of flagella are driven by reversible motors embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. Here we report that the energy source for the polar flagellar motor of Vibrio para-haemolyticus is the sodium-motive force, whereas the lateral flagellar motors are driven by the proton-motive force. This is evidence that two distinct types of flagella powered by different energy sources are functionally active in one cell.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nagoya University, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-01, Japan

    Tatsuo Atsumi & Yasuo Imae

  2. The Agouron Institute, 505 Coast Boulevard South, La Jolla, California, 92037, USA

    Linda McCartert

Authors
  1. Tatsuo Atsumi
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  2. Linda McCartert
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  3. Yasuo Imae
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Atsumi, T., McCartert, L. & Imae, Y. Polar and lateral flagellar motors of marine Vibrio are driven by different ion-motive forces. Nature 355, 182–184 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/355182a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/355182a0

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