A Flagellum in Neutral
22 June 2008, 15:37
Categories: molecular-machines--devices biomimicry
It has been long been known that bacteria swim by rotating their tail-like structure called the flagellum. Now, a paper by researchers at the University of Indiana and Harvard University describes how the flagellum’s rotations are stopped so that bacteria stop moving. While a bacterium is swimming, it releases a protein that flows between its gear and molecular engine, detaching the gear and thereby stops the delivery of power to its flagellum.
This improved understanding of how flagella work may give nanotechnologists ideas about how to regulate tiny engines of their own creation. The flagellum is one of nature’s smallest and most powerful motors. The flagellum of some bacteria can, for example, rotate more than 200 times per second.
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