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. 1999 Aug 17;96(17):9863-6.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.96.17.9863.

Flagellar determinants of bacterial sensitivity to chi-phage

A D Samuel  1 , T P Pitta, W S Ryu, P N Danese, E C Leung, H C Berg
Affiliations

Flagellar determinants of bacterial sensitivity to chi-phage

A D Samuel et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .

Abstract

Bacteriophage chi is known to infect motile strains of enteric bacteria by adsorbing randomly along the length of a flagellar filament and then injecting its DNA into the bacterial cell at the filament base. Here, we provide evidence for a "nut and bolt" model for translocation of phage along the filament: the tail fiber of chi fits the grooves formed by helical rows of flagellin monomers, and active flagellar rotation forces the phage to follow the grooves as a nut follows the threads of a bolt.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Quantitative plaque assays of suspensions of HCB626 with flagellar filaments rotating CCW (●) or CW (■). Suspensions were inoculated with phage at t = 0. PFUs were normalized by dividing the PFU at all times by the PFU at t = 1.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Quantitative plaque assays of suspensions of HCB5 that has hooks (●) and HCB8 that has polyhooks (■).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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