Conformational change in the stator of the bacterial flagellar motor

Molecular dynamics simulation of bacterial flagella

The bacterial flagellum is a biological nanomachine for the locomotion of bacteria, and is seen in organisms like Salmonella and Escherichia coli. The flagellum consists of tens of thousands of protein molecules and more than 30 different kinds of proteins. The basal body of the flagellum contains a protein export apparatus and a rotary motor that is powered by ion motive force across the cytoplasmic membrane. The filament functions as a propeller whose helicity is controlled by the direction of the torque. The hook that connects the motor and filament acts as a universal joint, transmitting torque generated by the motor to different directions. This report describes the use of molecular dynamics to study the bacterial flagellum. Molecular dynamics simulation is a powerful method that permits the investigation, at atomic resolution, of the molecular mechanisms of biomolecular systems containing many proteins and solvent. When applied to the flagellum, these studies successfully unveiled the polymorphic supercoiling and transportation mechanism of the filament, the universal joint mechanism of the hook, the ion transfer mechanism of the motor stator, the flexible nature of the transport apparatus proteins, and activation of proteins involved in chemotaxis.

Limiting (zero-load) speed of the rotary motor of Escherichia coli is independent of the number of torque-generating units

Rotation of the bacterial flagellar motor is driven by multiple torque-generating units (stator elements). The torque-generating dynamics can be understood in terms of the "duty ratio" of the stator elements, that is, the fraction of time a stator element engages with the rotor during its mechanochemical cycle. The dependence of the limiting speed (zero-load speed) of the motor on the number of stator elements is the determining test of the duty ratio, which has been controversial experimentally and theoretically over the past decade. Here, we developed a method combining laser dark-field microscopy and optical trapping to resolve this controversy. We found that the zero-load speed is independent of the number of stator elements for the bacterial flagellar motor in Escherichia coli, demonstrating that these elements have a duty ratio close to 1.

Cyclic di-GMP differentially tunes a bacterial flagellar motor through a novel class of CheY-like regulators

The flagellar motor is a sophisticated rotary machine facilitating locomotion and signal transduction. Owing to its important role in bacterial behavior, its assembly and activity are tightly regulated. For example, chemotaxis relies on a sensory pathway coupling chemical information to rotational bias of the motor through phosphorylation of the motor switch protein CheY. Using a chemical proteomics approach, we identified a novel family of CheY-like (Cle) proteins in Caulobacter crescentus, which tune flagellar activity in response to binding of the second messenger c-di-GMP to a C-terminal extension. In their c-di-GMP bound conformation Cle proteins interact with the flagellar switch to control motor activity. We show that individual Cle proteins have adopted discrete cellular functions by interfering with chemotaxis and by promoting rapid surface attachment of motile cells. This study broadens the regulatory versatility of bacterial motors and unfolds mechanisms that tie motor activity to mechanical cues and bacterial surface adaptation.

Viscous drag on the flagellum activates Bacillus subtilis entry into the K-state

Bacillus subtilis flagella are not only required for locomotion but also act as sensors that monitor environmental changes. Although how the signal transmission takes place is poorly understood, it has been shown that flagella play an important role in surface sensing by transmitting a mechanical signal to control the DegS-DegU two-component system. Here we report a role for flagella in the regulation of the K-state, which enables transformability and antibiotic tolerance (persistence). Mutations impairing flagellar synthesis are inferred to increase DegU-P, which inhibits the expression of ComK, the master regulator for the K-state, and reduces transformability. Tellingly, both deletion of the flagellin gene and straight filament (hag^A233V ) mutations increased DegU phosphorylation despite the fact that both mutants had wild type numbers of basal bodies and the flagellar motors were functional. We propose that higher viscous loads on flagellar motors result in lower DegU-P levels through an unknown signaling mechanism. This flagellar-load based mechanism ensures that cells in the motile subpopulation have a tenfold enhanced likelihood of entering the K-state and taking up DNA from the environment. Further, our results suggest that the developmental states of motility and competence are related and most commonly occur in the same epigenetic cell type.

Transcriptional control of motility enables directional movement of Escherichia coli in a signal gradient

Manipulation of cellular motility using a target signal can facilitate the development of biosensors or microbe-powered biorobots. Here, we engineered signal-dependent motility in Escherichia coli via the transcriptional control of a key motility gene. Without manipulating chemotaxis, signal-dependent switching of motility, either on or off, led to population-level directional movement of cells up or down a signal gradient. We developed a mathematical model that captures the behaviour of the cells, enables identification of key parameters controlling system behaviour, and facilitates predictive-design of motility-based pattern formation. We demonstrated that motility of the receiver strains could be controlled by a sender strain generating a signal gradient. The modular quorum sensing-dependent architecture for interfacing different senders with receivers enabled a broad range of systems-level behaviours. The directional control of motility, especially combined with the potential to incorporate tuneable sensors and more complex sensing-logic, may lead to tools for novel biosensing and targeted-delivery applications.

The Limiting Speed of the Bacterial Flagellar Motor

Recent experiments on the bacterial flagellar motor have shown that the structure of this nanomachine, which drives locomotion in a wide range of bacterial species, is more dynamic than previously believed. Specifically, the number of active torque-generating complexes (stators) was shown to vary across applied loads. This finding brings under scrutiny the experimental evidence reporting that limiting (zero-torque) speed is independent of the number of active stators. In this study, we propose that, contrary to previous assumptions, the maximum speed of the motor increases as additional stators are recruited. This result arises from our assumption that stators disengage from the motor for a significant portion of their mechanochemical cycles at low loads. We show that this assumption is consistent with current experimental evidence in chimeric motors, as well as with the requirement that a processive motor driving a large load via an elastic linkage must have a high duty ratio.

Bacteria, Rev Your Engines: Stator Dynamics Regulate Flagellar Motility

Many bacteria move through liquids and across surfaces by using flagella-filaments propelled by a membrane-embedded rotary motor. Much is known about the flagellum: its basic structure, the function of its individual motor components, and the regulation of its synthesis. However, we are only beginning to identify the dynamics of flagellar proteins and to understand how the motor structurally adapts to environmental stimuli. In this review, we discuss the external and cellular factors that influence the dynamics of stator complexes (the ion-conducting channels of the flagellar motor). We focus on recent discoveries suggesting that stator dynamics are a means for controlling flagellar function in response to different environments.

Architecture of the Flagellar Switch Complex of Escherichia coli: Conformational Plasticity of FliG and Implications for Adaptive Remodeling

Structural models of the complex that regulates the direction of flagellar rotation assume either ~34 or ~25 copies of the protein FliG. Support for ~34 came from crosslinking experiments identifying an intersubunit contact most consistent with that number; support for ~25 came from the observation that flagella can assemble and rotate when FliG is genetically fused to FliF, for which the accepted number is ~25. Here, we have undertaken crosslinking and other experiments to address more fully the question of FliG number. The results indicate a copy number of ~25 for FliG. An interaction between the C-terminal and middle domains, which has been taken to support a model with ~34 copies, is also supported. To reconcile the interaction with a FliG number of ~25, we hypothesize conformational plasticity in an interdomain segment of FliG that allows some subunits to bridge gaps created by the number mismatch. This proposal is supported by mutant phenotypes and other results indicating that the normally helical segment adopts a more extended conformation in some subunits. The FliG amino-terminal domain is organized in a regular array with dimensions matching a ring in the upper part of the complex. The model predicts that FliG copy number should be tied to that of FliF, whereas FliM copy number can increase or decrease according to the number of FliG subunits that adopt the extended conformation. This has implications for the phenomenon of adaptive switch remodeling, in which the FliM copy number varies to adjust the bias of the switch.

Structure of the MotA/B Proton Channel

Flagellar motors utilize the motive force of protons and other ions as an energy source. To elucidate the mechanisms of ion permeation and torque generation, it is essential to investigate the structure of the motor stator complex; however, the atomic structure of the transmembrane region of the stator has not been determined experimentally. We recently constructed an atomic model structure of the transmembrane region of the Escherichia coli MotA/B stator complex based on previously published disulfide cross-linking and tryptophan scanning mutations. Dynamic permeation by hydronium ions, sodium ions, and water molecules was then observed using steered molecular dynamics simulations, and free energy profiles for ion/water permeation were calculated using umbrella sampling. We also examined the possible ratchet motion of the cytoplasmic domain induced by the protonation/deprotonation cycle of the MotB proton binding site, Asp32. In this chapter, we describe the methods used to conduct these analyses, including atomic structure modeling of the transmembrane region of the MotA/B complex; molecular dynamics simulations in equilibrium and in ion permeation processes; and ion permeation-free energy profile calculations.

Cronobacter sakazakii ATCC 29544 Autoaggregation Requires FliC Flagellation, Not Motility

Cronobacter sakazakii is an opportunistic nosocomial and foodborne pathogen that causes severe infections with high morbidity and mortality rates in neonates, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Little is known about the pathogenesis mechanism of this pathogen and if there are any consequences of C. sakazakii colonization in healthy individuals. In this study, we characterized the mechanisms of autoaggregation in C. sakazakii ATCC 29544 (CS29544). Autoaggregation in CS29544 occurred rapidly, within 30 min, and proceeded to a maximum of 70%. Frameshift mutations in two flagellum proteins (FlhA and FliG) were identified in two nonautoaggregating CS29544 clonal variant isolates. Strategic gene knockouts were generated to determine if structurally intact and functional flagella were required for autoaggregation in CS29544. All structural knockouts (ΔflhA, ΔfliG, and ΔfliC) abolished autoaggregation, whereas the functional knockout (ΔmotAB) did not prevent autoaggregation. Complementation with FliC (ΔfliC/cfliC) restored autoaggregation. Autoaggregation was also disrupted by the addition of exogenous wild-type CS29544 filaments in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, filament supercoils tethering neighboring wild-type CS29544 cells together were observed by transmission electron microscopy. In silico analyses suggest that direct interactions of neighboring CS29544 FliC filaments proceed by hydrophobic bonding between the externally exposed hypervariable regions of the CS29544 FliC flagellin protein. Further research is needed to confirm if flagella-mediated autoaggregation plays a prominent role in C. sakazakii pathogenesis.

Mechanism of type-III protein secretion: Regulation of FlhA conformation by a functionally critical charged-residue cluster

The bacterial flagellum contains a specialized secretion apparatus in its base that pumps certain protein subunits through the growing structure to their sites of installation beyond the membrane. A related apparatus functions in the injectisomes of gram-negative pathogens to export virulence factors into host cells. This mode of protein export is termed type-III secretion (T3S). Details of the T3S mechanism are unclear. It is energized by the proton gradient; here, a mutational approach was used to identify proton-binding groups that might function in transport. Conserved proton-binding residues in all the membrane components were tested. The results identify residues R147, R154 and D158 of FlhA as most critical. These lie in a small, well-conserved cytoplasmic domain of FlhA, located between transmembrane segments 4 and 5. Two-hybrid experiments demonstrate self-interaction of the domain, and targeted cross-linking indicates that it forms a multimeric array. A mutation that mimics protonation of the key acidic residue (D158N) was shown to trigger a global conformational change that affects the other, larger cytoplasmic domain that interacts with the export cargo. The results are discussed in the framework of a transport model based on proton-actuated movements in the cytoplasmic domains of FlhA.

Confined Mobility of TonB and FepA in Escherichia coli Membranes

The important process of nutrient uptake in Escherichia coli, in many cases, involves transit of the nutrient through a class of beta-barrel proteins in the outer membrane known as TonB-dependent transporters (TBDTs) and requires interaction with the inner membrane protein TonB. Here we have imaged the mobility of the ferric enterobactin transporter FepA and TonB by tracking them in the membranes of live E. coli with single-molecule resolution at time-scales ranging from milliseconds to seconds. We employed simple simulations to model/analyze the lateral diffusion in the membranes of E.coli, to take into account both the highly curved geometry of the cell and artifactual effects expected due to finite exposure time imaging. We find that both molecules perform confined lateral diffusion in their respective membranes in the absence of ligand with FepA confined to a region 0.180−0.007+0.006 μm in radius in the outer membrane and TonB confined to a region 0.266−0.009+0.007 μm in radius in the inner membrane. The diffusion coefficient of these molecules on millisecond time-scales was estimated to be 21−5+9 μm²/s and 5.4−0.8+1.5 μm²/s for FepA and TonB, respectively, implying that each molecule is free to diffuse within its domain. Disruption of the inner membrane potential, deletion of ExbB/D from the inner membrane, presence of ligand or antibody to FepA and disruption of the MreB cytoskeleton was all found to further restrict the mobility of both molecules. Results are analyzed in terms of changes in confinement size and interactions between the two proteins.

Nonconventional cation-coupled flagellar motors derived from the alkaliphilic Bacillus and Paenibacillus species

Prior to 2008, all previously studied conventional bacterial flagellar motors appeared to utilize either H⁺ or Na⁺ as coupling ions. Membrane-embedded stator complexes support conversion of energy using transmembrane electrochemical ion gradients. The main H⁺-coupled stators, known as MotAB, differ from Na⁺-coupled stators, PomAB of marine bacteria, and MotPS of alkaliphilic Bacillus. However, in 2008, a MotAB-type flagellar motor of alkaliphilic Bacillus clausii KSM-K16 was revealed as an exception with the first dual-function motor. This bacterium was identified as the first bacterium with a single stator-rotor that can utilize both H⁺ and Na⁺ for ion-coupling at different pH ranges. Subsequently, another exception, a MotPS-type flagellar motor of alkaliphilic Bacillus alcalophilus AV1934, was reported to utilize Na⁺ plus K⁺ and Rb⁺ as coupling ions for flagellar rotation. In addition, the alkaline-tolerant bacterium Paenibacillus sp. TCA20, which can utilize divalent cations such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Sr²⁺, was recently isolated from a hot spring in Japan, which contains a high Ca²⁺ concentration. These findings show that bacterial flagellar motors isolated from unique environments utilize unexpected coupling ions. This suggests that bacteria that grow in different extreme environments adapt to local conditions and evolve their motility machinery.

Structural insight into the role of the Ton complex in energy transduction

In Gram-negative bacteria, outer membrane transporters import nutrients by coupling to an inner membrane protein complex called the Ton complex. The Ton complex consists of TonB, ExbB, and ExbD, and uses the proton motive force at the inner membrane to transduce energy to the outer membrane via TonB. Here, we structurally characterize the Ton complex from Escherichia coli using X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy, double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, and crosslinking. Our results reveal a stoichiometry consisting of a pentamer of ExbB, a dimer of ExbD, and at least one TonB. Electrophysiology studies show that the Ton subcomplex forms pH-sensitive cation-selective channels and provide insight into the mechanism by which it may harness the proton motive force to produce energy.

Studies on the mechanism of bacterial flagellar rotation and the flagellar number regulation

Many motile bacteria have the motility organ, the flagellum. It rotates by the rotary motor driven by the ion-motive force and is embedded in the cell surface at the base of each flagellar filament. Many researchers have been studying its rotary mechanism for years, but most of the energy conversion processes have been remained in mystery. We focused on the flagellar stator, which works at the core process of energy conversion, and found that the periplasmic region of the stator changes its conformation to be activated only when the stator units are incorporated into the motor and anchored at the cell wall. Meanwhile, the physiologically important supramolecular complex is localized in the cell at the right place and the right time with a proper amount. How the cell achieves such a proper localization is the fundamental question for life science, and we undertake this problem by analyzing the mechanism for biogenesis of a single polar flagellum of Vibrio alginolyticus. Here I describe the molecular mechanism of how the flagellum is generated at the specific place with a proper number, and also how the flagellar stator is incorporated into the motor to complete the functional motor assembly, based on our studies.

The tetrameric MotA complex as the core of the flagellar motor stator from hyperthermophilic bacterium

Rotation of bacterial flagellar motor is driven by the interaction between the stator and rotor, and the driving energy is supplied by ion influx through the stator channel. The stator is composed of the MotA and MotB proteins, which form a hetero-hexameric complex with a stoichiometry of four MotA and two MotB molecules. MotA and MotB are four- and single-transmembrane proteins, respectively. To generate torque, the MotA/MotB stator unit changes its conformation in response to the ion influx, and interacts with the rotor protein FliG. Here, we overproduced and purified MotA of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus. A chemical crosslinking experiment revealed that MotA formed a multimeric complex, most likely a tetramer. The three-dimensional structure of the purified MotA, reconstructed by electron microscopy single particle imaging, consisted of a slightly elongated globular domain and a pair of arch-like domains with spiky projections, likely to correspond to the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains, respectively. We show that MotA molecules can form a stable tetrameric complex without MotB, and for the first time, demonstrate the cytoplasmic structure of the stator.

Genetic analysis of revertants isolated from the rod-fragile fliF mutant of Salmonella

FliF is the protein comprising the MS-ring of the bacterial flagellar basal body, which is the base for the assembly of flagellar axial structures. From a fliF mutant that easily releases the rod-hook-filament in viscous environments, more than 400 revertants that recovered their swarming ability in viscous conditions, were isolated. The second-site mutations were determined for approximately 70% of them. There were three regions where the mutations were localized: two in Region I, 112 in Region II, and 71 in Region III including the true reversion. In Region I, second-site mutations were found in FlgC and FlgF of the proximal rod, suggesting that they affect the interaction between the MS-ring and the rod. In Region II, there were 69 and 42 mutations in MotA and MotB, respectively, suggesting that the second-site mutations in MotA and MotB may decrease the rotational speed of the flagellar motor to reduce the probability of releasing the rod under this condition. One exception is a mutation in FlhC that caused a down regulation of the flagellar proteins production but it may directly affect transcription or translation of motA and motB. In Region III, there were 44, 24, and 3 mutations in FliG, FliM, and FliF, respectively. There were no second-site mutations identified in FliN although it is involved in torque generation as a component of the C-ring. Many of the mutations were involved in the motor rotation, and it is suggested that such reduced speeds result in stabilizing the filament attachment to the motor.

ROSET Model of TonB Action in Gram-Negative Bacterial Iron Acquisition

The rotational surveillance and energy transfer (ROSET) model of TonB action suggests a mechanism by which the electrochemical proton gradient across the Gram-negative bacterial inner membrane (IM) promotes the transport of iron through ligand-gated porins (LGP) in the outer membrane (OM). TonB associates with the IM by an N-terminal hydrophobic helix that forms a complex with ExbBD. It also contains a central extended length of rigid polypeptide that spans the periplasm and a dimeric C-terminal-ββαβ-domain (CTD) with LysM motifs that binds the peptidoglycan (PG) layer beneath the OM bilayer. The TonB CTD forms a dimer with affinity for both PG- and TonB-independent OM proteins (e.g., OmpA), localizing it near the periplasmic interface of the OM bilayer. Porins and other OM proteins associate with PG, and this general affinity allows the TonB CTD dimer to survey the periplasmic surface of the OM bilayer. Energized rotational motion of the TonB N terminus in the fluid IM bilayer promotes the lateral movement of the TonB-ExbBD complex in the IM and of the TonB CTD dimer across the inner surface of the OM. When it encounters an accessible TonB box of a (ligand-bound) LGP, the monomeric form of the CTD binds and recruits it into a 4-stranded β-sheet. Because the CTD is rotating, this binding reaction transfers kinetic energy, created by the electrochemical proton gradient across the IM, through the periplasm to the OM protein. The equilibration of the TonB C terminus between the dimeric and monomeric forms that engage in different binding reactions allows the identification of iron-loaded LGP and then the internalization of iron through their trans-outer membrane β-barrels. Hence, the ROSET model postulates a mechanism for the transfer of energy from the IM to the OM, triggering iron uptake.

Controlling Autolysis During Flagella Insertion in Gram-Negative Bacteria

The flagellum is an important macromolecular machine for many pathogenic bacteria. It is a hetero-oligomeric structure comprised of three major sub-structures: basal body, hook and thin helical filament. An important step during flagellum assembly is the localized and controlled degradation of the peptidoglycan sacculus to allow for the insertion of the rod as well as to facilitate anchoring for proper motor function. The peptidoglycan lysis events require specialized lytic enzymes, β-N-acetylglucosaminidases and lytic transglycosylases, which differ in flagellated proteobacteria. Due to their autolytic activity, these enzymes need to be controlled in order to prevent cellular lysis. This review summarizes are current understanding of the peptidoglycan lysis events required for flagellum assembly and motility with a main focus on Gram-negative bacteria.

Shelter in a Swarm

Flagella propel bacteria during both swimming and swarming, dispersing them widely. However, while swimming bacteria use chemotaxis to find nutrients and avoid toxic environments, swarming bacteria appear to suppress chemotaxis and to use the dynamics of their collective motion to continuously expand and acquire new territory, barrel through lethal chemicals in their path, carry along bacterial and fungal cargo that assists in exploration of new niches, and engage in group warfare for niche dominance. Here, we focus on two aspects of swarming, which, if understood, hold the promise of revealing new insights into microbial signaling and behavior, with ramifications beyond bacterial swarming. These are as follows: how bacteria sense they are on a surface and turn on programs that promote movement and how they override scarcity and adversity as dense packs.

Sodium-driven energy conversion for flagellar rotation of the earliest divergent hyperthermophilic bacterium

Aquifex aeolicus is a hyperthermophilic, hydrogen-oxidizing and carbon-fixing bacterium that can grow at temperatures up to 95 °C. A. aeolicus has an almost complete set of flagellar genes that are conserved in bacteria. Here we observed that A. aeolicus has polar flagellum and can swim with a speed of 90 μm s⁻¹ at 85 °C. We expressed the A. aeolicus mot genes (motA and motB), which encode the torque generating stator proteins of the flagellar motor, in a corresponding mot nonmotile mutant of Escherichia coli. Its motility was slightly recovered by expression of A. aeolicus MotA and chimeric MotB whose periplasmic region was replaced with that of E. coli. A point mutation in the A. aeolicus MotA cytoplasmic region remarkably enhanced the motility. Using this system in E. coli, we demonstrate that the A. aeolicus motor is driven by Na⁺. As motor proteins from hyperthermophilic bacteria represent the earliest motor proteins in evolution, this study strongly suggests that ancient bacteria used Na⁺ for energy coupling of the flagellar motor. The Na⁺-driven flagellar genes might have been laterally transferred from early-branched bacteria into late-branched bacteria and the interaction surfaces of the stator and rotor seem not to change in evolution.

Mechanics of torque generation in the bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellar motor (BFM) is responsible for driving bacterial locomotion and chemotaxis, fundamental processes in pathogenesis and biofilm formation. In the BFM, torque is generated at the interface between transmembrane proteins (stators) and a rotor. It is well established that the passage of ions down a transmembrane gradient through the stator complex provides the energy for torque generation. However, the physics involved in this energy conversion remain poorly understood. Here we propose a mechanically specific model for torque generation in the BFM. In particular, we identify roles for two fundamental forces involved in torque generation: electrostatic and steric. We propose that electrostatic forces serve to position the stator, whereas steric forces comprise the actual "power stroke." Specifically, we propose that ion-induced conformational changes about a proline "hinge" residue in a stator α-helix are directly responsible for generating the power stroke. Our model predictions fit well with recent experiments on a single-stator motor. The proposed model provides a mechanical explanation for several fundamental properties of the flagellar motor, including torque-speed and speed-ion motive force relationships, backstepping, variation in step sizes, and the effects of key mutations in the stator.

Gate-controlled proton diffusion and protonation-induced ratchet motion in the stator of the bacterial flagellar motor

The proton permeation process of the stator complex MotA/B in the flagellar motor of Escherichia coli was investigated. The atomic model structure of the transmembrane part of MotA/B was constructed based on the previously published disulfide cross-linking and tryptophan scanning mutations. The dynamic permeation of hydronium/sodium ions and water molecule through the channel formed in MotA/B was observed using a steered molecular dynamics simulation. During the simulation, Leu46 of MotB acts as the gate for hydronium ion permeation, which induced the formation of water wire that may mediate the proton transfer to Asp32 on MotB. Free energy profiles for permeation were calculated by umbrella sampling. The free energy barrier for H3O(+) permeation was consistent with the proton transfer rate deduced from the flagellar rotational speed and number of protons per rotation, which suggests that the gating is the rate-limiting step. Structure and dynamics of the MotA/B with nonprotonated and protonated Asp32, Val43Met, and Val43Leu mutants in MotB were investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. A narrowing of the channel was observed in the mutants, which is consistent with the size-dependent ion selectivity. In MotA/B with the nonprotonated Asp32, the A3 segment in MotA maintained a kink whereas the protonation induced a straighter shape. Assuming that the cytoplasmic domain not included in the atomic model moves as a rigid body, the protonation/deprotonation of Asp32 is inferred to induce a ratchet motion of the cytoplasmic domain, which may be correlated to the motion of the flagellar rotor.

Serine 26 in the PomB subunit of the flagellar motor is essential for hypermotility of Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae is motile by means of its single polar flagellum which is driven by the sodium-motive force. In the motor driving rotation of the flagellar filament, a stator complex consisting of subunits PomA and PomB converts the electrochemical sodium ion gradient into torque. Charged or polar residues within the membrane part of PomB could act as ligands for Na⁺, or stabilize a hydrogen bond network by interacting with water within the putative channel between PomA and PomB. By analyzing a large data set of individual tracks of swimming cells, we show that S26 located within the transmembrane helix of PomB is required to promote very fast swimming of V. cholerae. Loss of hypermotility was observed with the S26T variant of PomB at pH 7.0, but fast swimming was restored by decreasing the H⁺ concentration of the external medium. Our study identifies S26 as a second important residue besides D23 in the PomB channel. It is proposed that S26, together with D23 located in close proximity, is important to perturb the hydration shell of Na⁺ before its passage through a constriction within the stator channel.

Loose coupling in the bacterial flagellar motor

Physiological properties of the flagellar rotary motor have been taken to indicate a tightly coupled mechanism in which each revolution is driven by a fixed number of energizing ions. Measurements that would directly test the tight-coupling hypothesis have not been made. Energizing ions flow through membrane-bound complexes formed from the proteins MotA and MotB, which are anchored to the cell wall and constitute the stator. Genetic and biochemical evidence points to a "power stroke" mechanism in which the ions interact with an aspartate residue of MotB to drive conformational changes in MotA that are transmitted to the rotor protein FliG. Each stator complex contains two separate ion-binding sites, raising the question of whether the power stroke is driven by one, two, or either number of ions. Here, we describe simulations of a model in which the conformational change can be driven by either one or two ions. This loosely coupled model can account for the observed physiological properties of the motor, including those that have been taken to indicate tight coupling; it also accords with recent measurements of motor torque at high load that are harder to explain in tight-coupling models. Under loads relevant to a swimming cell, the loosely coupled motor would perform about as well as a two-proton motor and significantly better than a one-proton motor. The loosely coupled motor is predicted to be especially advantageous under conditions of diminished energy supply, or of reduced temperature, turning faster than an obligatorily two-proton motor while using fewer ions.

A new player at the flagellar motor: FliL controls both motor output and bias

The bacterial flagellum is driven by a bidirectional rotary motor, which propels bacteria to swim through liquids or swarm over surfaces. While the functions of the major structural and regulatory components of the flagellum are known, the function of the well-conserved FliL protein is not. In Salmonella and Escherichia coli, the absence of FliL leads to a small defect in swimming but complete elimination of swarming. Here, we tracked single motors of these bacteria and found that absence of FliL decreases their speed as well as switching frequency. We demonstrate that FliL interacts strongly with itself, with the MS ring protein FliF, and with the stator proteins MotA and MotB and weakly with the rotor switch protein FliG. These and other experiments show that FliL increases motor output either by recruiting or stabilizing the stators or by increasing their efficiency and contributes additionally to torque generation at higher motor loads. The increased torque enabled by FliL explains why this protein is essential for swarming on an agar surface expected to offer increased resistance to bacterial movement.

FliL is a well-conserved bacterial flagellar protein whose absence leads to a variety of motility defects, ranging from moderate to complete inhibition of swimming in some bacterial species, inhibition of swarming in others, structural defects that break the flagellar rod during swarming in E. coli and Salmonella, and failure to eject the flagellar filament during the developmental transition of a swimmer to a stalk cell in Caulobacter crescentus. Despite these many phenotypes, a specific function for FliL has remained elusive. Here, we established a central role for FliL at the Salmonella and E. coli motors, where it interacts with both rotor and stator proteins, increases motor output, and contributes to the normal rotational bias of the motor.

Ribonucleotide reductase NrdR as a novel regulator for motility and chemotaxis during adherent-invasive Escherichia coli infection

A critical step in the life cycle of all organisms is the duplication of the genetic material during cell division. Ribonucleotide reductases (RNRs) are essential enzymes for this step because they control the de novo production of the deoxyribonucleotides required for DNA synthesis and repair. Enterobacteriaceae have three functional classes of RNRs (Ia, Ib, and III), which are transcribed from separate operons and encoded by the genes nrdAB, nrdHIEF, and nrdDG, respectively. Here, we investigated the role of RNRs in the virulence of adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) isolated from Crohn's disease (CD) patients. Interestingly, the LF82 strain of AIEC harbors four different RNRs (two class Ia, one class Ib, and one class III). Although the E. coli RNR enzymes have been extensively characterized both biochemically and enzymatically, little is known about their roles during bacterial infection. We found that RNR expression was modified in AIEC LF82 bacteria during cell infection, suggesting that RNRs play an important role in AIEC virulence. Knockout of the nrdR and nrdD genes, which encode a transcriptional regulator of RNRs and class III anaerobic RNR, respectively, decreased AIEC LF82's ability to colonize the gut mucosa of transgenic mice that express human CEACAM6 (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6). Microarray experiments demonstrated that NrdR plays an indirect role in AIEC virulence by interfering with bacterial motility and chemotaxis. Thus, the development of drugs targeting RNR classes, in particular NrdR and NrdD, could be a promising new strategy to control gut colonization by AIEC bacteria in CD patients.

The structure and regulation of flagella in Bacillus subtilis

Bacterial flagellar motility is among the most extensively studied physiological systems in biology, but most research has been restricted to using the highly similar Gram-negative species Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. Here, we review the recent advances in the study of flagellar structure and regulation of the distantly related and genetically tractable Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis has a thicker layer of peptidoglycan and lacks the outer membrane of the Gram-negative bacteria; thus, not only phylogenetic separation but also differences in fundamental cell architecture contribute to deviations in flagellar structure and regulation. We speculate that a large number of flagella and the absence of a periplasm make B. subtilis a premier organism for the study of the earliest events in flagellar morphogenesis and the type III secretion system. Furthermore, B. subtilis has been instrumental in the study of heterogeneous gene transcription in subpopulations and of flagellar regulation at the translational and functional level.

Molecular architecture of the bacterial flagellar motor in cells

The flagellum is one of the most sophisticated self-assembling molecular machines in bacteria. Powered by the proton-motive force, the flagellum rapidly rotates in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, which ultimately controls bacterial motility and behavior. Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica have served as important model systems for extensive genetic, biochemical, and structural analysis of the flagellum, providing unparalleled insights into its structure, function, and gene regulation. Despite these advances, our understanding of flagellar assembly and rotational mechanisms remains incomplete, in part because of the limited structural information available regarding the intact rotor–stator complex and secretion apparatus. Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) has become a valuable imaging technique capable of visualizing the intact flagellar motor in cells at molecular resolution. Because the resolution that can be achieved by cryo-ET with large bacteria (such as E. coli and S. enterica) is limited, analysis of small-diameter bacteria (including Borrelia burgdorferi and Campylobacter jejuni) can provide additional insights into the in situ structure of the flagellar motor and other cellular components. This review is focused on the application of cryo-ET, in combination with genetic and biophysical approaches, to the study of flagellar structures and its potential for improving the understanding of rotor–stator interactions, the rotational switching mechanism, and the secretion and assembly of flagellar components.

Effect of the MotB(D33N) mutation on stator assembly and rotation of the proton-driven bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellar motor generates torque by converting the energy of proton translocation through the transmembrane proton channel of the stator complex formed by MotA and MotB. The MotA/B complex is thought to be anchored to the peptidoglycan (PG) layer through the PG-binding domain of MotB to act as the stator. The stator units dynamically associate with and dissociate from the motor during flagellar motor rotation, and an electrostatic interaction between MotA and a rotor protein FliG is required for efficient stator assembly. However, the association and dissociation mechanism of the stator units still remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the speed fluctuation of the flagellar motor of Salmonella enterica wild-type cells carrying a plasmid encoding a nonfunctional stator complex, MotA/B(D33N), which lost the proton conductivity. The wild-type motor rotated stably but the motor speed fluctuated considerably when the expression level of MotA/B(D33N) was relatively high compared to MotA/B. Rapid accelerations and decelerations were frequently observed. A quantitative analysis of the speed fluctuation and a model simulation suggested that the MotA/B(D33N) stator retains the ability to associate with the motor at a low affinity but dissociates more rapidly than the MotA/B stator. We propose that the stator dissociation process depends on proton translocation through the proton channel.

Structure and function of the bi-directional bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellum is a locomotive organelle that propels the bacterial cell body in liquid environments. The flagellum is a supramolecular complex composed of about 30 different proteins and consists of at least three parts: a rotary motor, a universal joint, and a helical filament. The flagellar motor of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica is powered by an inward-directed electrochemical potential difference of protons across the cytoplasmic membrane. The flagellar motor consists of a rotor made of FliF, FliG, FliM and FliN and a dozen stators consisting of MotA and MotB. FliG, FliM and FliN also act as a molecular switch, enabling the motor to spin in both counterclockwise and clockwise directions. Each stator is anchored to the peptidoglycan layer through the C-terminal periplasmic domain of MotB and acts as a proton channel to couple the proton flow through the channel with torque generation. Highly conserved charged residues at the rotor–stator interface are required not only for torque generation but also for stator assembly around the rotor. In this review, we will summarize our current understanding of the structure and function of the proton-driven bacterial flagellar motor.

Defects in the flagellar motor increase synthesis of poly-γ-glutamate in Bacillus subtilis

Bacillus subtilis swims in liquid media and swarms over solid surfaces, and it encodes two sets of flagellar stator homologs. Here, we show that B. subtilis requires only the MotA/MotB stator during swarming motility and that the residues required for stator force generation are highly conserved from the Proteobacteria to the Firmicutes. We further find that mutants that abolish stator function also result in an overproduction of the extracellular polymer poly-γ-glutamate (PGA) to confer a mucoid colony phenotype. PGA overproduction appeared to be the result of an increase in the expression of the pgs operon that encodes genes for PGA synthesis. Transposon mutagenesis was conducted to identify insertions that abolished colony mucoidy and disruptions in known transcriptional regulators of PGA synthesis (Com and Deg two-component systems) as well as mutants defective in transcription-coupled DNA repair (Mfd)-reduced expression of the pgs operon. A final class of insertions disrupted proteins involved in the assembly of the flagellar filament (FliD, FliT, and FlgL), and these mutants did not reduce expression of the pgs operon, suggesting a second mechanism of PGA control.

The C-terminal periplasmic domain of MotB is responsible for load-dependent control of the number of stators of the bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellar motor is made of a rotor and stators. In Salmonella it is thought that about a dozen MotA/B complexes are anchored to the peptidoglycan layer around the motor through the C-terminal peptidoglycan-binding domain of MotB to become active stators as well as proton channels. MotB consists of 309 residues, forming a single transmembrane helix (30–50), a stalk (51–100) and a C-terminal peptidoglycan-binding domain (101–309). Although the stalk is dispensable for torque generation by the motor, it is required for efficient motor performance. Residues 51 to 72 prevent premature proton leakage through the proton channel prior to stator assembly into the motor. However, the role of residues 72–100 remains unknown. Here, we analyzed the torque-speed relationship of the MotB(Δ72–100) motor. At a low speed near stall, this mutant motor produced torque at the wild-type level. Unlike the wild-type motor, however, torque dropped off drastically by slight decrease in external load and then showed a slow exponential decay over a wide range of load by its further reduction. Since it is known that the stator is a mechano-sensor and that the number of active stators changes in a load-dependent manner, we interpreted this unusual torque-speed relationship as anomaly in load-dependent control of the number of active stators. The results suggest that residues 72–100 of MotB is required for proper load-dependent control of the number of active stators around the rotor.

Load-sensitive coupling of proton translocation and torque generation in the bacterial flagellar motor

The Salmonella flagellar motor consists of a rotor and about a dozen stator elements. Each stator element, consisting of MotA and MotB, acts as a proton channel to couple proton flow with torque generation. A highly conserved Asp33 residue of MotB is directly involved in the energy coupling mechanism, but it remains unknown how it carries out this function. Here, we show that the MotB(D33E) mutation dramatically alters motor performance in response to changes in external load. Rotation speeds of the MotA/B(D33E) and MotA(V35F)/B(D33E) motors were markedly slower than the wild-type motor and fluctuated considerably at low load but not at high load, whereas the rotation rate of the wild-type motor was stable at any load. At low load, pausing events were frequently observed in both mutant motors. The proton conductivities of these mutant stator channels in their 'unplugged' forms were only half of the conductivity of the wild-type channel. These results suggest that the D33E mutation induces a load-dependent inactivation of the MotA/B complex. We propose that the stator element is a load-sensitive proton channel that efficiently couples proton translocation with torque generation and that Asp33 of MotB is critical for this co-ordinated proton translocation.

A distant homologue of the FlgT protein interacts with MotB and FliL and is essential for flagellar rotation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides

In this work, we describe a periplasmic protein that is essential for flagellar rotation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. This protein is encoded upstream of flgA, and its expression is dependent on the flagellar master regulator FleQ and on the class III flagellar activator FleT. Sequence comparisons suggest that this protein is a distant homologue of FlgT. We show evidence that in R. sphaeroides, FlgT interacts with the periplasmic regions of MotB and FliL and with the flagellar protein MotF, which was recently characterized as a membrane component of the flagellum in this bacterium. In addition, the localization of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-MotF is completely dependent on FlgT. The Mot(-) phenotype of flgT cells was weakly suppressed by point mutants of MotB that presumably keep the proton channel open and efficiently suppress the Mot(-) phenotype of motF and fliL cells, indicating that FlgT could play an additional role beyond the opening of the proton channel. The presence of FlgT in purified filament-hook-basal bodies of the wild-type strain was confirmed by Western blotting, and the observation of these structures under an electron microscope showed that the basal bodies from flgT cells had lost the ring that covers the LP ring in the wild-type structure. Moreover, MotF was detected by immunoblotting in the basal bodies obtained from the wild-type strain but not from flgT cells. From these results, we suggest that FlgT forms a ring around the LP ring, which anchors MotF and stabilizes the stator complex of the flagellar motor.

Load-dependent assembly of the bacterial flagellar motor

It is becoming clear that the bacterial flagellar motor output is important not only for bacterial locomotion but also for mediating the transition from liquid to surface living. The output of the flagellar motor changes with the mechanical load placed on it by the external environment: at a higher load, the motor runs more slowly and produces higher torque. Here we show that the number of torque-generating units bound to the flagellar motor also depends on the external mechanical load, with fewer stators at lower loads. Stalled motors contained at least as many stators as rotating motors at high load, indicating that rotation is unnecessary for stator binding. Mutant stators incapable of generating torque could not be detected around the motor. We speculate that a component of the bacterial flagellar motor senses external load and mediates the strength of stator binding to the rest of the motor.

The transition between liquid living and surface living is important in the life cycles of many bacteria. In this paper, we describe how the flagellar motor, used by bacteria for locomotion through liquid media and across solid surfaces, is capable of adjusting the number of bound stator units to better suit the external load conditions. By stalling motors using external magnetic fields, we also show that rotation is not required for maintenance of stators around the motor; instead, torque production is the essential factor for motor stability. These new results, in addition to previous data, lead us to hypothesize that the motor stators function as mechanosensors as well as functioning as torque-generating units.

Elucidating the origin of the ExbBD components of the TonB system through Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood phylogenies

Uptake of ferric siderophores, vitamin B12, and other molecules in gram-negative bacteria is mediated by a multi-protein complex known as the TonB system. The ExbB and ExbD protein components of the TonB system play key energizing roles and are homologous with the flagellar motor proteins MotA and MotB. Here, the phylogenetic relationships of ExbBD and MotAB were investigated using Bayesian inference and the maximum-likelihood method. Phylogenetic trees of these proteins suggest that they are separated into distinct monophyletic groups and have originated from a common ancestral system. Several horizontal gene transfer events for ExbB-ExbD are also inferred, and a model for the evolution of the TonB system is proposed.

Dynamics of mechanosensing in the bacterial flagellar motor

Mechanosensing by flagella is thought to trigger bacterial swarmer-cell differentiation, an important step in pathogenesis. How flagellar motors sense mechanical stimuli is not known. To study this problem, we suddenly increased the viscous drag on motors by a large factor, from very low loads experienced by motors driving hooks or hooks with short filament stubs, to high loads, experienced by motors driving tethered cells or 1-μm latex beads. From the initial speed (after the load change), we inferred that motors running at very low loads are driven by one or at most two force-generating units. Following the load change, motors gradually adapted by increasing their speeds in a stepwise manner (over a period of a few minutes). Motors initially spun exclusively counterclockwise, but then increased the fraction of time that they spun clockwise over a time span similar to that observed for adaptation in speed. Single-motor total internal reflection fluorescence imaging of YFP-MotB (part of a stator force-generating unit) confirmed that the response to sudden increments in load occurred by the addition of new force-generating units. We estimate that 6-11 force-generating units drive motors at high loads. Wild-type motors and motors locked in the clockwise or counterclockwise state behaved in a similar manner, as did motors in cells deleted for the motor protein gene fliL or for genes in the chemotaxis signaling pathway. Thus, it appears that stators themselves act as dynamic mechanosensors. They change their structure in response to changes in external load. How such changes might impact cellular functions other than motility remains an interesting question.

Energy-dependent motion of TonB in the Gram-negative bacterial inner membrane

Gram-negative bacteria acquire iron with TonB-dependent uptake systems. The TonB-ExbBD inner membrane complex is hypothesized to transfer energy to outer membrane (OM) iron transporters. Fluorescence microscopic characterization of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-TonB hybrid proteins revealed an unexpected, restricted localization of TonB in the cell envelope. Fluorescence polarization measurements demonstrated motion of TonB in living cells, which likely was rotation. By determining the anisotropy of GFP-TonB in the absence and presence of inhibitors, we saw the dependence of its motion on electrochemical force and on the actions of ExbBD. We observed higher anisotropy for GFP-TonB in energy-depleted cells and lower values in bacteria lacking ExbBD. However, the metabolic inhibitors did not change the anisotropy of GFP-TonB in ΔexbBD cells. These findings demonstrate that TonB undergoes energized motion in the bacterial cell envelope and that ExbBD couples this activity to the electrochemical gradient. The results portray TonB as an energized entity in a regular array underlying the OM bilayer, which promotes metal uptake through OM transporters by a rotational mechanism.

Mutation in the a-subunit of F(1)F(O)-ATPase causes an increased motility phenotype through the sodium-driven flagella of Vibrio

Bacterial flagellar motors exploit the electrochemical potential gradient of a coupling ion as energy source and are composed of stator and rotor proteins. Vibrio alginolyticus has a Na(+)-driven motor and its stator is composed of PomA and PomB. Recently, we isolated increased motility strains (sp1-sp4) from the PomA-N194D/PomB-D24N mutant whose motility was quite weak. To detect the responsible mutation, we have used a next-generation sequencer and determined the entire genome sequences of the sp1 and sp2 strains. Candidate mutations were identified in the gene encoding the a-subunit of F1Fo-ATPase (uncB). To confirm this, we constructed a deletion strain, which gave the increased motility phenotype. The amount of membrane-bound ATPase was reduced in the sp2 and ΔuncB mutants. From these results, we conclude that a mutation in the uncB gene causes the increased motility phenotype in V. alginolyticus. They confer faster motility in low concentrations of sodium than in the parental strain and this phenotype is suppressed in the presence of KCN. Those results may suggest that the proton gradient generated by the respiratory chain is increased by the uncB mutation, consequently the sodium motive force is increased and causes the increased motility phenotype.

Mutations in Escherichia coli ExbB transmembrane domains identify scaffolding and signal transduction functions and exclude participation in a proton pathway

The TonB system couples cytoplasmic membrane proton motive force (pmf) to active transport of diverse nutrients across the outer membrane. Current data suggest that cytoplasmic membrane proteins ExbB and ExbD harness pmf energy. Transmembrane domain (TMD) interactions between TonB and ExbD allow the ExbD C terminus to modulate conformational rearrangements of the periplasmic TonB C terminus in vivo. These conformational changes somehow allow energization of high-affinity TonB-gated transporters by direct interaction with TonB. While ExbB is essential for energy transduction, its role is not well understood. ExbB has N-terminus-out, C-terminus-in topology with three TMDs. TMDs 1 and 2 are punctuated by a cytoplasmic loop, with the C-terminal tail also occupying the cytoplasm. We tested the hypothesis that ExbB TMD residues play roles in proton translocation. Reassessment of TMD boundaries based on hydrophobic character and residue conservation among distantly related ExbB proteins brought earlier widely divergent predictions into congruence. All TMD residues with potentially function-specific side chains (Lys, Cys, Ser, Thr, Tyr, Glu, and Asn) and residues with probable structure-specific side chains (Trp, Gly, and Pro) were substituted with Ala and evaluated in multiple assays. While all three TMDs were essential, they had different roles: TMD1 was a region through which ExbB interacted with the TonB TMD. TMD2 and TMD3, the most conserved among the ExbB/TolQ/MotA/PomA family, played roles in signal transduction between cytoplasm and periplasm and the transition from ExbB homodimers to homotetramers. Consideration of combined data excludes ExbB TMD residues from direct participation in a proton pathway.

Regulation of flagellar motility during biofilm formation

Many bacteria swim in liquid or swarm over solid surfaces by synthesizing rotary flagella. The same bacteria that are motile also commonly form nonmotile multicellular aggregates called biofilms. Biofilms are an important part of the lifestyle of pathogenic bacteria, and it is assumed that there is a motility-to-biofilm transition wherein the inhibition of motility promotes biofilm formation. The transition is largely inferred from regulatory mutants that reveal the opposite regulation of the two phenotypes. Here, we review the regulation of motility during biofilm formation in Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Vibrio, and Escherichia, and we conclude that the motility-to-biofilm transition, if necessary, likely involves two steps. In the short term, flagella are functionally regulated to either inhibit rotation or modulate the basal flagellar reversal frequency. Over the long term, flagellar gene transcription is inhibited and in the absence of de novo synthesis, flagella are diluted to extinction through growth. Both short-term and long-term motility inhibition is likely important to stabilize cell aggregates and optimize resource investment. We emphasize the newly discovered flagellar functional regulators and speculate that others await discovery in the context of biofilm formation.

Flagella stator homologs function as motors for myxobacterial gliding motility by moving in helical trajectories

Many bacterial species use gliding motility in natural habitats because external flagella function poorly on hard surfaces. However, the mechanism(s) of gliding remain elusive because surface motility structures are not apparent. Here, we characterized the dynamics of the Myxococcus xanthus gliding motor protein AglR, a homolog of the Escherichia coli flagella stator protein MotA. We observed that AglR decorated a helical structure, and the AglR helices rotated when cells were suspended in liquid or when cells moved on agar surfaces. With photoactivatable localization microscopy, we found that single molecules of AglR, unlike MotA/MotB, can move laterally within the membrane in helical trajectories. AglR slowed down transiently at gliding surfaces, accumulating in clusters. Our work shows that the untethered gliding motors of M. xanthus, by moving within the membrane, can transform helical motion into linear driving forces that push against the surface.

Expression, purification and biochemical characterization of the cytoplasmic loop of PomA, a stator component of the Na(+) driven flagellar motor

Flagellar motors embedded in bacterial membranes are molecular machines powered by specific ion flows. Each motor is composed of a stator and a rotor and the interactions of those components are believed to generate the torque. Na⁺ influx through the PomA/PomB stator complex of Vibrio alginolyticus is coupled to torque generation and is speculated to trigger structural changes in the cytoplasmic domain of PomA that interacts with a rotor protein in the C-ring, FliG, to drive the rotation. In this study, we tried to overproduce the cytoplasmic loop of PomA (PomA-Loop), but it was insoluble. Thus, we made a fusion protein with a small soluble tag (GB1) which allowed us to express and characterize the recombinant protein. The structure of the PomA-Loop seems to be very elongated or has a loose tertiary structure. When the PomA-Loop protein was produced in E. coli, a slight dominant effect was observed on motility. We conclude that the cytoplasmic loop alone retains a certain function.

Protein export according to schedule: architecture, assembly, and regulation of type III secretion systems from plant- and animal-pathogenic bacteria

Flagellar and translocation-associated type III secretion (T3S) systems are present in most gram-negative plant- and animal-pathogenic bacteria and are often essential for bacterial motility or pathogenicity. The architectures of the complex membrane-spanning secretion apparatuses of both systems are similar, but they are associated with different extracellular appendages, including the flagellar hook and filament or the needle/pilus structures of translocation-associated T3S systems. The needle/pilus is connected to a bacterial translocon that is inserted into the host plasma membrane and mediates the transkingdom transport of bacterial effector proteins into eukaryotic cells. During the last 3 to 5 years, significant progress has been made in the characterization of membrane-associated core components and extracellular structures of T3S systems. Furthermore, transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulators that control T3S gene expression and substrate specificity have been described. Given the architecture of the T3S system, it is assumed that extracellular components of the secretion apparatus are secreted prior to effector proteins, suggesting that there is a hierarchy in T3S. The aim of this review is to summarize our current knowledge of T3S system components and associated control proteins from both plant- and animal-pathogenic bacteria.