biostudies-literatureSchavemaker PESimons FoundationUS Department of ArmyNational Institutes of HealthNIGMS NIH HHSNational Science Foundatione77266https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9323006biostudies-literatureUnknown11Flagellar-driven motility grants unicellular organisms the ability to gather more food and avoid predators, but the energetic costs of construction and operation of flagella are considerable. Paths of flagellar evolution depend on the deviations between fitness gains and energy costs. Using structural data available for all three major flagellar types (bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic), flagellar construction costs were determined for <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pyrococcus furiosus</i>, and <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i>. Estimates of cell volumes, flagella numbers, and flagellum lengths from the literature yield flagellar costs for another ~200 species. The benefits of flagellar investment were analysed in terms of swimming speed, nutrient collection, and growth rate; showing, among eLifeFlagellar energy costs across the tree of life.PMC9323006W911NF-14-1-0411R35 GM122566735927DEB-1927159R35-GM122566-01Lynch MSchavemaker PEfalseFlagellar energy costs across the tree of life.Flagellar-driven motility grants unicellular organisms the ability to gather more food and avoid predators, but the energetic costs of construction and operation of flagella are considerable. Paths of flagellar evolution depend on the deviations between fitness gains and energy costs. Using structural data available for all three major flagellar types (bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic), flagellar construction costs were determined for <i>Escherichia coli</i>, <i>Pyrococcus furiosus</i>, and <i>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</i>. Estimates of cell volumes, flagella numbers, and flagellum lengths from the literature yield flagellar costs for another ~200 species. The benefits of flagellar investment were analysed in terms of swimming speed, nutrient collection, and growth rate; showing, among 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jul2026-05-02T22:17:08.446Z2022-08-07T16:00:33.708ZS-EPMC93230063588143010.7554/eLife.77266