Navigation Links
Microscopic 'clutch' puts flagellum in neutral
Date:6/19/2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- A tiny but powerful engine that propels the bacterium Bacillus subtilis through liquids is disengaged from the corkscrew-like flagellum by a protein clutch, Indiana University Bloomington and Harvard University scientists have learned. Their report appears in this week's Science.

Scientists have long known what drives the flagellum to spin, but what causes the flagellum to stop spinning -- temporarily or permanently -- was unknown.

"We think it's pretty cool that evolving bacteria and human engineers arrived at a similar solution to the same problem," said IU Bloomington biologist Daniel Kearns, who led the project. "How do you temporarily stop a motor once it gets going?"

The action of the protein they discovered, EpsE, is very similar to that of a car clutch. In cars, the clutch controls whether a car's engine is connected to the parts that spin its wheels. With the engine and gears disengaged from each other, the car may continue to move, but only because of its prior momentum; the wheels are no longer powered.

EpsE is thought to "sit down," as Kearns describes it, on the flagellum's rotor, a donut-shaped structure at the base of the flagellum. EpsE's interaction with a rotor protein called FliG causes a shape change in the rotor that disengages it from the flagellum's proton-powered engine.

The discovery of EpsE and its function was accidental. Kearns and colleagues were actually interested in learning more about the genes that cause individual cells of B. subtilis to cease wandering in solitude and take up residence in a massively communal, stationary assemblage called a biofilm. The stability of biofilms can be jeopardized by hyperactive bacterial cells whose flagella continue to spin.

"We were trying to get at how the bacterium's ability to move and biofilm formation are balanced," Kearns said. "We were looking for the genes that affected whether the cell
'/>"/>

Contact: David Bricker
brickerd@indiana.edu
812-856-9035
Indiana University
Source:Eurekalert  

0

GOOD

Page: 1 2 3

Related biology technology :

1. Explosives at the microscopic scale produce shocking results
2. Arryx Launches HOTkit(TM) Complete for Dynamic, Scientific Manipulation of Microscopic Elements
3. BioNeutral Announces a BREAKTHROUGH in the Fight Against Bioterrorism
Post Your Comments:
*Name:
*Comment:
*Email:
Related Image:
Microscopic 'clutch' puts flagellum in neutral
Microscopic 'clutch' puts flagellum in neutral
Breaking Biology Technology:Nikon Corporation Acquires License From Harvard University For 'STORM' Super Resolution Microscopy -- Will Create Innovative New 'N-STORM' Microscope 2Nikon Corporation Acquires License From Harvard University For 'STORM' Super Resolution Microscopy -- Will Create Innovative New 'N-STORM' Microscope 3Peregrine Pharmaceuticals to Report Second Quarter FY 2010 Financial Results 2Martek to Announce Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2009 Results 2Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 2Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 3Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 4Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 5Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 6Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 7Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 8Reportlinker Adds Drug Discovery Technologies - A Global Update of Market Trends & Opportunities 9
Other Biology Technology:Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 2Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 3Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 4Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 5Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 6Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 7Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 8Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 9Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 10Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 11Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 12Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Reports Unaudited Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2008 Results 13Kibow Biotech Strongly Supports World Kidney Day for Maintenance of Healthy Kidney Function 2Kibow Biotech Strongly Supports World Kidney Day for Maintenance of Healthy Kidney Function 3Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 2Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 3Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 4Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 5Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 6Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 7Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 8Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 9Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 10Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 11Micromet, Inc. To Regain Rights to Blinatumomab in North America; Reports Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year ended December 31, 2008 12
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):White, but not pure 2White, but not pure 3Stand Up to Cancer funds high-risk/high-reward cancer research by 13 young scientists 2Stand Up to Cancer funds high-risk/high-reward cancer research by 13 young scientists 3Stand Up to Cancer funds high-risk/high-reward cancer research by 13 young scientists 4Stand Up to Cancer funds high-risk/high-reward cancer research by 13 young scientists 5Stand Up to Cancer funds high-risk/high-reward cancer research by 13 young scientists 6Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 1Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 2Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 3Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 4Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 5Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 6Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 7Miami LASIK Laser Eye Surgery Cataract Surgery Refractive Surgeon Expert Dr William Trattler Joins Select Eye Surgeons in Trusted LASIK Surgeons Di 13919 8CyberKnife Treatment for Medically Inoperable Lung Cancer 56512 1CyberKnife Treatment for Medically Inoperable Lung Cancer 56512 2Raleigh Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dentistry Announces Addition of New Practice to Raleigh Dentist Family 56508 1Raleigh Comprehensive and Cosmetic Dentistry Announces Addition of New Practice to Raleigh Dentist Family 56508 2