The Bacterial Flagellar Hook
From Proteopedia
The bacterial flagellar hook described in this article is one part of the bacterial flagellum. Please see Flagella, bacterial (under development at Sandbox4 Eric Martz for an overview of where the hook fits in the flagellum.
The flagellar hook is a molecular universal joint that transmits torque from the motor, anchored in the bacterial cell wall, to the flagellar filament, the relatively rigid helical rod that propels the bacterial cell when rotated. The hook is flexible: it enables the filament to adopt a wide range of angles relative to the cell wall, yet continue to be rotated by the motor at all these angles.
Content Attribution
The initial content for this article was adapted from The Bacterial Flagellar Hook: A Molecular Universal Joint, written in 2004-2006 for Protein Explorer.
