<i>In Situ</i> Structure of the <i>Vibrio</i> Polar Flagellum Reveals a Distinct Outer Membrane Complex and Its Specific Interaction with the Stator

Abstract

The torque of flagellar rotation is generated by interactions between a rotor and a stator; however, detailed structural information is lacking. Here, we utilized cryo-electron tomography and advanced imaging analysis to obtain a high-resolution in situ flagellar basal body structure in Vibrio alginolyticus , which is a Gram-negative marine bacterium. Our high-resolution motor structure not only revealed detailed protein-protein interactions among unique Vibrio -specific features, the T ring and H ring, but also provided the first structural evidence that the T ring interacts directly with the periplasmic domain of the stator. Docking atomic structures of key components into the in situ motor map allowed us to visualize the pseudoatomic architecture of the polar sheathed flagellum in Vibrio spp. and provides novel insight into its assembly and function.