Translocation pathway of the bacterial flagellar typeIII secretion system analyzed by site-directed photo-crosslinking

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K07108
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 49050:Bacteriology-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University (2020); Nagoya University (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: TERASHIMA Hiroyuki 長崎大学, 熱帯医学研究所, 助教 (60791788)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 細菌べん毛 / III型分泌装置 / 光架橋 / in vitro再構成 / タンパク質分泌

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied the mechanism of protein export, construction and function of the bacterial flagellum. Using an in vitro transport assay with the inverted membrane vesicles, we were able to construct hook and filament in vitro. The length of hook was regulated to 55 nm by the molecular ruler protein FliK. These results revealed that the flagellum is a molecular machine that is autonomously constructed using only flagellar components.

Free Research Field

細菌学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細菌べん毛は、細胞外に長く伸びた線維状の超分子複合体である。その構築メカニズムを明らかにすることによって、タンパク質から構築される分子機械の作動原理と設計原理を知ることができる。本研究の成果によって、べん毛の構築原理の一端を解き明かすことができ、学術的意義のある研究成果を得ることができた。