Motile Flagellum with a "3 + 0" Ultrastructure

Abstract

The male gamete of the parasitic protozoan Diplauxis hatti has a flagellum consisting of three doublet microtubules. This flagellum exhibits a helicoidal waveform in which bends propagate toward the tip with a frequency of about 1.5 hertz. It is the simplest motile eukaryotic flagellum yet described.