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Localization and domain characterization of the SflA regulator of flagellar formation in Vibrio alginolyticus
Author(s) -
Inaba Satoshi,
Nishigaki Takehiko,
Takekawa Norihiro,
Kojima Seiji,
Homma Michio
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
genes to cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.912
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1365-2443
pISSN - 1356-9597
DOI - 10.1111/gtc.12501
Subject(s) - flagellum , vibrio alginolyticus , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , vibrio , motility , organelle , bacteria , genetics
Many swimming bacteria use flagella as locomotive organelles. The spatial and numerical regulation of flagellar biosynthesis differs by bacterial species. The marine bacteria Vibrio alginolyticus use a single polar flagellum whose number is regulated positively by FlhF and negatively by FlhG. Cells lacking FlhF and FlhG have no flagellum. The motility defect in an flh FG deletion was suppressed by a mutation in the sflA gene that resulted in the production of multiple, peritrichous flagella. SflA is a Vibrio ‐specific protein. SlfA either facilitates flagellum growth at the cell pole or prevents flagellar formation on the cell body by an unknown mechanism. Fluorescent protein fusions to SflA localized to the cell pole in the presence of FlhF and FlhG, but exhibited both polar and lateral cell localization in Δ flh FG cells. Polar localization of SflA required the polar landmark protein HubP. Over‐expression of the C‐terminal region of SflA (Sfl A C ) in Δ flh FG Δ sflA cells suppressed the lateral flagellar formation. Our results suggest that SflA localizes with the flagella and that Sfl A C represses the flagellar initiation in Δ flh FG strains. A model is presented where SflA inhibits lateral flagellar formation to facilitate single polar flagellum assembly in V. alginolyticus cells.