Number of flagella

Range ~400 flagella/cell
Organism Bacteria Candidatus Ovobacter propellens
Reference Fenchel T, Thar R. "Candidatus Ovobacter propellens": a large conspicuous prokaryote with an unusual motility behaviour. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2004 May 1 48(2):231-8. doi: 10.1016/j.femsec.2004.01.013. p.233 left column bottom paragraphPubMed ID19712406
Method "Cells were observed living or fixed in OsO4 vapours using Nomarski Interference microscopy. For electron microscopy cells were fixed in 1% OsO4 and 5% glutaraldehyde in filtered (0.2µm) seawater in centrifuge glasses for about 15 min."
Comments "The mean distance between adjacent flagella was about 0.1µm corresponding to 100 flagella/µm^2. Since the area of the flagellar field was about 4µm^2, the total number of flagella can be estimated to be around 400. The flagella had a diameter of about 15 nm and so the volume fraction of flagella in the tuft was only about 2%, the remaining bulk of the tuft consists only of water surrounding the flagella."
Entered by Uri M
ID 111233