The polar flagellar motor of Vibrio cholerae is driven by an Na+ motive force

J Bacteriol. 1999 Mar;181(6):1927-30. doi: 10.1128/JB.181.6.1927-1930.1999.

Abstract

Vibrio cholerae is a highly motile bacterium which possesses a single polar flagellum as a locomotion organelle. Motility is thought to be an important factor for the virulence of V. cholerae. The genome sequencing project of this organism is in progress, and the genes that are highly homologous to the essential genes of the Na+-driven polar flagellar motor of Vibrio alginolyticus were found in the genome database of V. cholerae. The energy source of its flagellar motor was investigated. We examined the Na+ dependence and the sensitivity to the Na+ motor-specific inhibitor of the motility of the V. cholerae strains and present the evidence that the polar flagellar motor of V. cholerae is driven by an Na+ motive force.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Flagella / metabolism*
  • Flagella / physiology
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Ion Transport
  • Molecular Motor Proteins / genetics
  • Molecular Motor Proteins / metabolism*
  • Movement
  • Osmolar Concentration
  • Sodium / metabolism*
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / metabolism
  • Species Specificity
  • Vibrio / genetics
  • Vibrio / metabolism
  • Vibrio / physiology
  • Vibrio cholerae / genetics
  • Vibrio cholerae / metabolism*
  • Vibrio cholerae / physiology

Substances

  • Molecular Motor Proteins
  • Sodium
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase