Inactivation of a putative flagellar motor switch protein FliG1 prevents Borrelia burgdorferi from swimming in highly viscous media and blocks its infectivity.

ABSTRACT: The flagellar motor switch complex protein FliG plays an essential role in flagella biosynthesis and motility. In most motile bacteria, only one fliG homologue is present in the genome. However, several spirochete species have two putative fliG genes (referred to as fliG1 and fliG2) and their roles in flagella assembly and motility remain unknown. In this report, the Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi was used as a genetic model to investigate the roles of these two fliG homologues. It was found that fliG2 encodes a typical motor switch complex protein that is required for the flagellation and motility of B. burgdorferi. In contrast, the function of fliG1 is quite unique. Disruption of fliG1 did not affect flagellation and the mutant was still motile but failed to translate in hi

SUBMITTER: Li C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4394363 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature