Characterization of two sets of subpolar flagella in Bradyrhizobium japonicum.
Bradyrhizobium japonicum is one of the soil bacteria that form nodules on soybean roots. The cell has two sets of flagellar systems, one thick flagellum and a few thin flagella, uniquely growing at subpolar positions. The thick flagellum appears to be semicoiled in morphology, and the thin flagella were in a tight-curly form as observed by dark-field microscopy. Flagellin genes were identified from the amino acid sequence of each flagellin. Flagellar genes for the thick flagellum are scattered into several clusters on the genome, while those genes for the thin flagellum are compactly organized in one cluster. Both types of flagella are powered by proton-driven motors. The swimming propulsion is supplied mainly by the thick flagellum. B. japonicum flagellar systems resemble the polar-lateral flagellar systems of Vibrio species but differ in several aspects.
Kanbe
Masaomi
M
Department of Life Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, 562 Nanatsuka, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan.
Yagasaki
Jin
J
Zehner
Susanne
S
Göttfert
Michael
M
Aizawa
Shin-Ichi
S
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020369:Bradyrhizobium / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005407:Flagella / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005408:Flagellin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D008124:Locomotion; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005408:Flagellin