In:
Journal of Bacteriology, American Society for Microbiology, Vol. 202, No. 16 ( 2020-07-27)
Abstract:
The bacterial flagellum is an organelle responsible for motility and has a rotary motor comprising the rotor and the stator. Flagellar biogenesis is initiated by the assembly of the MS-ring, a supramolecular complex embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The MS-ring consists of a few dozen copies of the transmembrane FliF protein and is an essential core structure that is a part of the rotor. The number and locations of the flagella are controlled by the FlhF and FlhG proteins in some species. However, there is no clarity on the factors initiating MS-ring assembly or on the contributions of FlhF/FlhG to this process. Here, we show that FlhF and a C-ring component, FliG, facilitate Vibrio MS-ring formation. When Vibrio FliF alone was expressed in Escherichia coli cells, MS-ring formation rarely occurred, indicating a requirement of other factors for MS-ring assembly. Consequently, we investigated if FlhF aided FliF in MS-ring assembly. We found that FlhF allowed green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused FliF to localize at the cell pole in a Vibrio cell, suggesting that it increases local concentration of FliF at the pole. When FliF was coexpressed with FlhF in E. coli cells, the MS-ring was effectively formed, indicating that FlhF somehow contributes to MS-ring formation. The isolated MS-ring structure was similar to that of the MS-ring formed by Salmonella FliF. Interestingly, FliG facilitates MS-ring formation, suggesting that FliF and FliG assist in each other’s assembly into the MS-ring and C-ring. This study aids in understanding the mechanism behind MS-ring assembly using appropriate spatial/temporal regulations. IMPORTANCE Flagellar formation is initiated by the assembly of the FliF protein into the MS-ring complex, which is embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The appropriate spatial/temporal control of MS-ring formation is important for the morphogenesis of the bacterial flagellum. Here, we focus on the assembly mechanism of Vibrio FliF into the MS-ring. FlhF, a positive regulator of the number and location of flagella, recruits the FliF molecules at the cell pole and facilitates MS-ring formation. FliG also facilitates MS-ring formation. Our study showed that these factors control flagellar biogenesis in Vibrio by initiating the MS-ring assembly. Furthermore, it also implies that flagellar biogenesis is a sophisticated system linked with the expression of certain genes, protein localization, and a supramolecular complex assembly.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0021-9193
,
1098-5530
Language:
English
Publisher:
American Society for Microbiology
Publication Date:
2020
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1481988-0
SSG:
12
