Flagellin gene (fliC) of Thermus thermophilus HB8: Characterization of its product and involvement to flagella assembly and microbial motility

Christos P. Papaneophytou, Rigini M. Papi, Anastasia A. Pantazaki, Dimitrios A. Kyriakidis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Thermus thermophilus HB8 flagellin protein (FliC) is encoded by the TTHC004 (fliC) gene, which is located in the pTT8 plasmid of the bacterium. Flagellinmonomer and flagella fibres were isolated from a culture of T. thermophilus grown in rich medium, or in mineral salt medium with sodium gluconate as the carbon source. Western blot immunodetection with anti-FliC revealed a stable complex (FliC) 1(FliS) 2 of flagellin (FliC, 27.7 kDa) with a homodimer of FliS (FliS, 18.2 kDa) that are encoded by TTHC004 and TTHC003 genes, respectively. The complex is dissociable at low pHs and/or by heat treatment. Glycan staining of purified flagella and treatment with N-glycosidase F suggested that flagellin of T. thermophilus is a glycosylated protein. Size exclusion chromatography revealed that flagellar filaments (FliC) have a molecular mass higher than 200 kDa. The formation of flagella is enhanced after prolonged cultivation time where phosphate and other nutrient were depleted, giving in the bacterium considerable swimming motility in low viscosity media.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1265-1277
Number of pages13
JournalApplied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Volume94
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2012

Keywords

  • Flagella assembly
  • Flagellin
  • fliC gene
  • Motility
  • T. Thermophilus HB8

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