scholarly journals Assembly Mechanism of a Supramolecular MS-Ring Complex To Initiate Bacterial Flagellar Biogenesis in Vibrio Species

2020 ◽  
Vol 202 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Terashima ◽  
Keiichi Hirano ◽  
Yuna Inoue ◽  
Takaya Tokano ◽  
Akihiro Kawamoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cytoplasmic Membrane ◽  
Supramolecular Complex ◽  
Ring Formation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Flagellum ◽  
Cell Pole ◽  
Ring Assembly ◽  
Assembly Mechanism ◽  
Ring Complex ◽  
Flagellar Biogenesis

ABSTRACT The bacterial flagellum is an organelle responsible for motility and has a rotary motor comprising the rotor and the stator. Flagellar biogenesis is initiated by the assembly of the MS-ring, a supramolecular complex embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The MS-ring consists of a few dozen copies of the transmembrane FliF protein and is an essential core structure that is a part of the rotor. The number and locations of the flagella are controlled by the FlhF and FlhG proteins in some species. However, there is no clarity on the factors initiating MS-ring assembly or on the contributions of FlhF/FlhG to this process. Here, we show that FlhF and a C-ring component, FliG, facilitate Vibrio MS-ring formation. When Vibrio FliF alone was expressed in Escherichia coli cells, MS-ring formation rarely occurred, indicating a requirement of other factors for MS-ring assembly. Consequently, we investigated if FlhF aided FliF in MS-ring assembly. We found that FlhF allowed green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused FliF to localize at the cell pole in a Vibrio cell, suggesting that it increases local concentration of FliF at the pole. When FliF was coexpressed with FlhF in E. coli cells, the MS-ring was effectively formed, indicating that FlhF somehow contributes to MS-ring formation. The isolated MS-ring structure was similar to that of the MS-ring formed by Salmonella FliF. Interestingly, FliG facilitates MS-ring formation, suggesting that FliF and FliG assist in each other’s assembly into the MS-ring and C-ring. This study aids in understanding the mechanism behind MS-ring assembly using appropriate spatial/temporal regulations. IMPORTANCE Flagellar formation is initiated by the assembly of the FliF protein into the MS-ring complex, which is embedded in the cytoplasmic membrane. The appropriate spatial/temporal control of MS-ring formation is important for the morphogenesis of the bacterial flagellum. Here, we focus on the assembly mechanism of Vibrio FliF into the MS-ring. FlhF, a positive regulator of the number and location of flagella, recruits the FliF molecules at the cell pole and facilitates MS-ring formation. FliG also facilitates MS-ring formation. Our study showed that these factors control flagellar biogenesis in Vibrio by initiating the MS-ring assembly. Furthermore, it also implies that flagellar biogenesis is a sophisticated system linked with the expression of certain genes, protein localization, and a supramolecular complex assembly.

scholarly journals Role of the N- and C-terminal regions of FliF, the MS ring component in Vibrio flagellar basal body

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seiji Kojima ◽  
Hiroki Kajino ◽  
Keiichi Hirano ◽  
Yuna Inoue ◽  
Hiroyuki Terashima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Body ◽  
Ring Formation ◽  
Terminal Region ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Transmembrane Segment ◽  
Bacterial Flagellum ◽  
Transmembrane Segments ◽  
Ring Assembly ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
N Terminus

AbstractThe MS ring is a part of the flagellar basal body and formed by 34 subunits of FliF, which consists of a large periplasmic region and two transmembrane segments connected to the N- and C-terminal regions facing the cytoplasm. A cytoplasmic protein, FlhF, which determines the position and number of the basal body, supports MS ring formation in the membrane. In this study, we constructed FliF deletion mutants that lack 30 or 50 residues at the N-terminus (ΔN30 and ΔN50), and 83 (ΔC83) or 110 residues (ΔC110) at the C-terminus. The N-terminal deletions were functional and conferred motility of Vibrio cells, whereas the C-terminal deletions were nonfunctional. The mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli to determine whether an MS ring could still be assembled. When co-expressing ΔN30FliF or ΔN50FliF with FlhF, fewer MS rings were observed than with the expression of wild-type FliF, in the MS ring fraction, suggesting that the N-terminus interacts with FlhF. MS ring formation is probably inefficient without an additional factor or FlhF. The deletion of the C-terminal cytoplasmic region did not affect the ability of FliF to form an MS ring because a similar number of MS rings were observed for ΔC83FliF as with wild-type FliF, although further deletion of the second transmembrane segment (ΔC110FliF) abolished it. These results suggest that the terminal regions of FliF have distinct roles; the N-terminal region for efficient MS ring formation and the C-terminal region for MS ring function. The second transmembrane segment is indispensable for MS ring assembly.ImportanceThe bacterial flagellum is a supramolecular architecture involved in cell motility. At the base of the flagella, a rotary motor that begins to construct an MS ring in the cytoplasmic membrane comprises 34 transmembrane proteins (FliF). Here, we investigated the roles of the N and C terminal regions of FliF, which are MS rings. Unexpectedly, the cytoplasmic regions of FliF are not indispensable for the formation of the MS ring, but the N-terminus appears to assist in ring formation through recruitment of FlhF, which is essential for flagellar formation. The C-terminus is essential for motor formation or function.

scholarly journals Role of the N- and C-Terminal Regions of FliF, the MS Ring Component in the Vibrio Flagellar Basal Body

2021 ◽  
Vol 203 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seiji Kojima ◽  
Hiroki Kajino ◽  
Keiichi Hirano ◽  
Yuna Inoue ◽  
Hiroyuki Terashima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Body ◽  
Ring Formation ◽  
Terminal Region ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Transmembrane Segment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Flagellum ◽  
Transmembrane Segments ◽  
C Terminus ◽  
N Terminus

ABSTRACT The MS ring is a part of the flagellar basal body and formed by 34 subunits of FliF, which consists of a large periplasmic region and two transmembrane segments connected to the N- and C-terminal regions facing the cytoplasm. A cytoplasmic protein, FlhF, which determines the position and number of the basal body, supports MS ring formation in the membrane in Vibrio species. In this study, we constructed FliF deletion mutants that lack 30 or 50 residues from the N terminus (ΔN30 and ΔN50) and 83 (ΔC83) or 110 residues (ΔC110) at the C terminus. The N-terminal deletions were functional and conferred motility of Vibrio cells, whereas the C-terminal deletions were nonfunctional. The mutants were expressed in Escherichia coli to determine whether an MS ring could still be assembled. When coexpressing ΔN30FliF or ΔN50FliF with FlhF, fewer MS rings were observed than with the expression of wild-type FliF in the MS ring fraction, suggesting that the N terminus interacts with FlhF. MS ring formation is probably inefficient without FlhF. The deletion of the C-terminal cytoplasmic region did not affect the ability of FliF to form an MS ring because a similar number of MS rings were observed for ΔC83FliF as for wild-type FliF, although further deletion of the second transmembrane segment (ΔC110FliF) abolished it. These results suggest that the terminal regions of FliF have distinct roles, the N-terminal region for efficient MS ring formation and the C-terminal region for MS ring function. The second transmembrane segment is indispensable for MS ring assembly. IMPORTANCE The bacterial flagellum is a supramolecular architecture involved in cell motility. At the base of the flagella, a rotary motor that begins to construct an MS ring in the cytoplasmic membrane comprises 34 transmembrane proteins (FliF). Here, we investigated the roles of the N- and C-terminal regions of FliF, which are MS rings. Unexpectedly, the cytoplasmic regions of FliF are not indispensable for the formation of the MS ring, but the N terminus appears to assist in ring formation through recruitment of FlhF, which is essential for flagellar formation. The C terminus is essential for motor formation or function.

scholarly journals Coordinating Bacterial Cell Division with Nutrient Availability: a Role for Glycolysis

mBio ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leigh G. Monahan ◽  
Isabella V. Hajduk ◽  
Sinead P. Blaber ◽  
Ian G. Charles ◽  
Elizabeth J. Harry
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Nutrient Availability ◽  
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase ◽  
Ring Formation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ring Assembly ◽  
Z Ring ◽  
Normal Division

ABSTRACTCell division in bacteria is driven by a cytoskeletal ring structure, the Z ring, composed of polymers of the tubulin-like protein FtsZ. Z-ring formation must be tightly regulated to ensure faithful cell division, and several mechanisms that influence the positioning and timing of Z-ring assembly have been described. Another important but as yet poorly understood aspect of cell division regulation is the need to coordinate division with cell growth and nutrient availability. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that cell division is intimately linked to central carbon metabolism in the model Gram-positive bacteriumBacillus subtilis. We showed that a deletion of the gene encoding pyruvate kinase (pyk), which produces pyruvate in the final reaction of glycolysis, rescues the assembly defect of a temperature-sensitiveftsZmutant and has significant effects on Z-ring formation in wild-typeB. subtiliscells. Addition of exogenous pyruvate restores normal division in the absence of the pyruvate kinase enzyme, implicating pyruvate as a key metabolite in the coordination of bacterial growth and division. Our results support a model in which pyruvate levels are coupled to Z-ring assembly via an enzyme that actually metabolizes pyruvate, the E1α subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase. We have shown that this protein localizes over the nucleoid in a pyruvate-dependent manner and may stimulate more efficient Z-ring formation at the cell center under nutrient-rich conditions, when cells must divide more frequently.IMPORTANCEHow bacteria coordinate cell cycle processes with nutrient availability and growth is a fundamental yet unresolved question in microbiology. Recent breakthroughs have revealed that nutritional information can be transmitted directly from metabolic pathways to the cell cycle machinery and that this can serve as a mechanism for fine-tuning cell cycle processes in response to changes in environmental conditions. Here we identified a novel link between glycolysis and cell division inBacillus subtilis. We showed that pyruvate, the final product of glycolysis, plays an important role in maintaining normal division. Nutrient-dependent changes in pyruvate levels affect the function of the cell division protein FtsZ, most likely by modifying the activity of an enzyme that metabolizes pyruvate, namely, pyruvate dehydrogenase E1α. Ultimately this system may help to coordinate bacterial division with nutritional conditions to ensure the survival of newborn cells.

scholarly journals HubP, a Polar Landmark Protein, Regulates Flagellar Number by Assisting in the Proper Polar Localization of FlhG in Vibrio alginolyticus

2016 ◽  
Vol 198 (22) ◽  
pp. 3091-3098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norihiro Takekawa ◽  
Soojin Kwon ◽  
Noriko Nishioka ◽  
Seiji Kojima ◽  
Michio Homma
Keyword(s):  
Marine Bacterium ◽  
Vibrio Alginolyticus ◽  
Absolute Amount ◽  
Negative Regulators ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Polar Localization ◽  
Cell Pole ◽  
The Absolute ◽  
Flagellar Biogenesis

ABSTRACT The marine bacterium Vibrio alginolyticus has a single polar flagellum, the number of which is regulated positively by FlhF and negatively by FlhG. FlhF is intrinsically localized at the cell pole, whereas FlhG is localized there through putative interactions with the polar landmark protein HubP. Here we focused on the role of HubP in the regulation of flagellar number in V. alginolyticus . Deletion of hubP increased the flagellar number and completely disrupted the polar localization of FlhG. It was thought that the flagellar number is determined primarily by the absolute amount of FlhF localized at the cell pole. Here we found that deletion of hubP increased the flagellar number although it did not increase the polar amount of FlhF. We also found that FlhG overproduction did not reduce the polar localization of FlhF. These results show that the absolute amount of FlhF is not always the determinant of flagellar number. We speculate that cytoplasmic FlhG works as a quantitative regulator, controlling the amount of FlhF localized at the pole, and HubP-anchored polar FlhG works as a qualitative regulator, directly inhibiting the activity of polar FlhF. This regulation by FlhF, FlhG, and HubP might contribute to achieving optimal flagellar biogenesis at the cell pole in V. alginolyticus . IMPORTANCE For regulation of the flagellar number in marine Vibrio , two proteins, FlhF and FlhG, work as positive and negative regulators, respectively. In this study, we found that the polar landmark protein HubP is involved in the regulation of flagellar biogenesis. Deletion of hubP increased the number of flagella without increasing the amount of pole-localizing FlhF, indicating that the number of flagella is not determined solely by the absolute amount of pole-localizing FlhF, which is inconsistent with the previous model. We propose that cytoplasmic FlhG and HubP-anchored polar FlhG negatively regulate flagellar formation through two independent schemes.

A cucurbituril-pillararene ring-on-ring complex

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dejun Zhang ◽  
Hao Tang ◽  
Guozhen Zhang ◽  
Lingyun Wang ◽  
Derong Cao
Keyword(s):  
Ring Assembly ◽  
Ring Complex ◽  
New Type

A new type of non-intertwined ring-on-ring assembly was formed by the portal binding between a perfunctionalized polycationic pillar[5]arene and a cucurbit[10]uril, demonstrating a facile approach to solubilize a large macrocycle...

scholarly journals Basal Body Structures Differentially Affect Transcription of RpoN- and FliA-Dependent Flagellar Genes in Helicobacter pylori

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (11) ◽  
pp. 1921-1930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Tsang ◽  
Timothy R. Hoover
Keyword(s):  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Basal Body ◽  
Protein Interactions ◽  
Transcript Levels ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
H Pylori ◽  
Flagellar Biogenesis ◽  
Flagellar Genes

ABSTRACTFlagellar biogenesis inHelicobacter pyloriis regulated by a transcriptional hierarchy governed by three sigma factors, RpoD (σ80), RpoN (σ54), and FliA (σ28), that temporally coordinates gene expression with the assembly of the flagellum. Previous studies showed that loss of flagellar protein export apparatus components inhibits transcription of flagellar genes. The FlgS/FlgR two-component system activates transcription of RpoN-dependent genes though an unknown mechanism. To understand better the extent to which flagellar gene regulation is coupled to flagellar assembly, we disrupted flagellar biogenesis at various points and determined how these mutations affected transcription of RpoN-dependent (flaBandflgE) and FliA-dependent (flaA) genes. The MS ring (encoded byfliF) is one of the earliest flagellar structures assembled. Deletion offliFresulted in the elimination of RpoN-dependent transcripts and an ∼4-fold decrease inflaAtranscript levels. FliH is a cytoplasmic protein that functions with the C ring protein FliN to shuttle substrates to the export apparatus. Deletions offliHand genes encoding C ring components (fliMandfliY) decreased transcript levels offlaBandflgEbut had little or no effect on transcript levels offlaA. Transcript levels offlaBandflgEwere elevated in mutants where genes encoding rod proteins (fliEandflgBC) were deleted, while transcript levels offlaAwas reduced ∼2-fold in both mutants. We propose that FlgS responds to an assembly checkpoint associated with the export apparatus and that FliH and one or more C ring component assist FlgS in engaging this flagellar structure.IMPORTANCEThe mechanisms used by bacteria to couple transcription of flagellar genes with assembly of the flagellum are poorly understood. The results from this study identified components of theH. pyloriflagellar basal body that either positively or negatively affect expression of RpoN-dependent flagellar genes. Some of these basal body proteins may interact directly with regulatory proteins that control transcription of theH. pyloriRpoN regulon, a hypothesis that can be tested by examining protein-protein interactionsin vitro.

scholarly journals Serratia marcescens ShlA Pore-Forming Toxin Is Responsible for Early Induction of Autophagy in Host Cells and Is Transcriptionally Regulated by RcsB

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 3542-3554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Di Venanzio ◽  
Tatiana M. Stepanenko ◽  
Eleonora García Véscovi
Keyword(s):  
Serratia Marcescens ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Regulatory Mechanism ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Binding Motif ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Opportunistic Human Pathogen ◽  
Flagellar Biogenesis ◽  
Fine Tune

ABSTRACTSerratia marcescensis a Gram-negative bacterium that thrives in a wide variety of ambient niches and interacts with an ample range of hosts. As an opportunistic human pathogen, it has increased its clinical incidence in recent years, being responsible for life-threatening nosocomial infections.S. marcescensproduces numerous exoproteins with toxic effects, including the ShlA pore-forming toxin, which has been catalogued as its most potent cytotoxin. However, the regulatory mechanisms that govern ShlA expression, as well as its action toward the host, have remained unclear. We have shown thatS. marcescenselicits an autophagic response in host nonphagocytic cells. In this work, we determine that the expression of ShlA is responsible for the autophagic response that is promoted prior to bacterial internalization in epithelial cells. We show that a strain unable to express ShlA is no longer able to induce this autophagic mechanism, while heterologous expression of ShlA/ShlB suffices to confer on noninvasiveEscherichia colithe capacity to trigger autophagy. We also demonstrate thatshlBAharbors a binding motif for the RcsB regulator in its promoter region. RcsB-dependent control ofshlBAconstitutes a feed-forward regulatory mechanism that allows interplay with flagellar-biogenesis regulation. At the top of the circuit, activated RcsB downregulates expression of flagella by binding to theflhDCpromoter region, preventing FliA-activated transcription ofshlBA. Simultaneously, RcsB interaction within theshlBApromoter represses ShlA expression. This circuit offers multiple access points to fine-tune ShlA production. These findings also strengthen the case for an RcsB role in orchestrating the expression ofSerratiavirulence factors.

scholarly journals Helicobacter pylori FlhA Binds the Sensor Kinase and Flagellar Gene Regulatory Protein FlgS with High Affinity

2015 ◽  
Vol 197 (11) ◽  
pp. 1886-1892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Tsang ◽  
Takanori Hirano ◽  
Timothy R. Hoover ◽  
Jonathan L. McMurry
Keyword(s):  
Helicobacter Pylori ◽  
Response Regulator ◽  
Regulatory Protein ◽  
Kinase Domain ◽  
Optical Biosensing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Flagellar Assembly ◽  
Flagellar Biogenesis

ABSTRACTFlagellar biogenesis is a complex process that involves multiple checkpoints to coordinate transcription of flagellar genes with the assembly of the flagellum. InHelicobacter pylori, transcription of the genes needed in the middle stage of flagellar biogenesis is governed by RpoN and the two-component system consisting of the histidine kinase FlgS and response regulator FlgR. In response to an unknown signal, FlgS autophosphorylates and transfers the phosphate to FlgR, initiating transcription from RpoN-dependent promoters. In the present study, export apparatus protein FlhA was examined as a potential signal protein. Deletion of its N-terminal cytoplasmic sequence dramatically decreased expression of two RpoN-dependent genes,flaBandflgE. Optical biosensing demonstrated a high-affinity interaction between FlgS and a peptide consisting of residues 1 to 25 of FlhA (FlhANT). TheKD(equilibrium dissociation constant) was 21 nM and was characterized by fast-on (kon= 2.9 × 104M−1s−1) and slow-off (koff= 6.2 × 10−4s−1) kinetics. FlgS did not bind peptides consisting of smaller fragments of the FlhANTsequence. Analysis of binding to purified fragments of FlgS demonstrated that the C-terminal portion of the protein containing the kinase domain binds FlhANT. FlhANTbinding did not stimulate FlgS autophosphorylationin vitro, suggesting that FlhA facilitates interactions between FlgS and other structures required to stimulate autophosphorylation.IMPORTANCEThe high-affinity binding of FlgS to FlhA characterized in this study points to an additional role for FlhA in flagellar assembly. Beyond its necessity for type III secretion, the N-terminal cytoplasmic sequence of FlhA is required for RpoN-dependent gene expression via interaction with the C-terminal kinase domain of FlgS.

scholarly journals Noc Corrals Migration of FtsZ Protofilaments during Cytokinesis in Bacillus subtilis

mBio ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanchen Yu ◽  
Jinsheng Zhou ◽  
Frederico J. Gueiros-Filho ◽  
Daniel B. Kearns ◽  
Stephen C. Jacobson
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Subtilis ◽  
Cell Division ◽  
Fluorescence Microscopy ◽  
Control Cell ◽  
Time Lapse ◽  
Ring Formation ◽  
Microfluidic Channels ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Future ◽  
Z Ring

ABSTRACT Bacteria that divide by binary fission form FtsZ rings at the geometric midpoint of the cell between the bulk of the replicated nucleoids. In Bacillus subtilis, the DNA- and membrane-binding Noc protein is thought to participate in nucleoid occlusion by preventing FtsZ rings from forming over the chromosome. To explore the role of Noc, we used time-lapse fluorescence microscopy to monitor FtsZ and the nucleoid of cells growing in microfluidic channels. Our data show that Noc does not prevent de novo FtsZ ring formation over the chromosome nor does Noc control cell division site selection. Instead, Noc corrals FtsZ at the cytokinetic ring and reduces migration of protofilaments over the chromosome to the future site of cell division. Moreover, we show that FtsZ protofilaments travel due to a local reduction in ZapA association, and the diffuse FtsZ rings observed in the Noc mutant can be suppressed by ZapA overexpression. Thus, Noc sterically hinders FtsZ migration away from the Z-ring during cytokinesis and retains FtsZ at the postdivisional polar site for full disassembly by the Min system. IMPORTANCE In bacteria, a condensed structure of FtsZ (Z-ring) recruits cell division machinery at the midcell, and Z-ring formation is discouraged over the chromosome by a poorly understood phenomenon called nucleoid occlusion. In B. subtilis, nucleoid occlusion has been reported to be mediated, at least in part, by the DNA-membrane bridging protein, Noc. Using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of cells growing in microchannels, we show that Noc neither protects the chromosome from proximal Z-ring formation nor determines the future site of cell division. Rather, Noc plays a corralling role by preventing protofilaments from leaving a Z-ring undergoing cytokinesis and traveling over the nucleoid.

scholarly journals Site-Directed Cross-Linking Identifies the Stator-Rotor Interaction Surfaces in a Hybrid Bacterial Flagellar Motor

2021 ◽  
Vol 203 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Terashima ◽  
Seiji Kojima ◽  
Michio Homma
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Cross Linking ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Flagellar Motor ◽  
Intact Cells ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Flagellum ◽  
Cross Links ◽  
Bacterial Flagellar Motor ◽  
Rotary Motor

ABSTRACT The bacterial flagellum is the motility organelle powered by a rotary motor. The rotor and stator elements of the motor are located in the cytoplasmic membrane and cytoplasm. The stator units assemble around the rotor, and an ion flux (typically H+ or Na+) conducted through a channel of the stator induces conformational changes that generate rotor torque. Electrostatic interactions between the stator protein PomA in Vibrio (MotA in Escherichia coli) and the rotor protein FliG have been shown by genetic analyses but have not been demonstrated biochemically. Here, we used site-directed photo-cross-linking and disulfide cross-linking to provide direct evidence for the interaction. We introduced a UV-reactive amino acid, p-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine (pBPA), into the cytoplasmic region of PomA or the C-terminal region of FliG in intact cells. After UV irradiation, pBPA inserted at a number of positions in PomA and formed a cross-link with FliG. PomA residue K89 gave the highest yield of cross-links, suggesting that it is the PomA residue nearest to FliG. UV-induced cross-linking stopped motor rotation, and the isolated hook-basal body contained the cross-linked products. pBPA inserted to replace residue R281 or D288 in FliG formed cross-links with the Escherichia coli stator protein, MotA. A cysteine residue introduced in place of PomA K89 formed disulfide cross-links with cysteine inserted in place of FliG residues R281 and D288 and some other flanking positions. These results provide the first demonstration of direct physical interaction between specific residues in FliG and PomA/MotA. IMPORTANCE The bacterial flagellum is a unique organelle that functions as a rotary motor. The interaction between the stator and rotor is indispensable for stator assembly into the motor and the generation of motor torque. However, the interface of the stator-rotor interaction has only been defined by mutational analysis. Here, we detected the stator-rotor interaction using site-directed photo-cross-linking and disulfide cross-linking approaches. We identified several residues in the PomA stator, especially K89, that are in close proximity to the rotor. Moreover, we identified several pairs of stator and rotor residues that interact. This study directly demonstrates the nature of the stator-rotor interaction and suggests how stator units assemble around the rotor and generate torque in the bacterial flagellar motor.

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