Two immunologically distinct types of protofilaments can be identified in Natrialba magadii flagella

Abstract

We examine distribution of flagellins along multicomponent flagellar filaments (FF) and protofilaments (PF) of the haloalkaliphilic archaeon Natrialba magadii using immunogold electron microscopy. A high specific polyclonal antibody raised to one of the flagellin types bound homogeneously to the undissociated FF along the full length. At the same time both uniformly labelled and completely unlabelled PF, outwardly indistinguishable one from another, were observed. © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies.