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The archaellum (pl.: archaella; formerly archaeal flagellum) is a unique structure on the cell surface of many archaea that allows for swimming motility. The archaellum consists of a rigid helical filament that is attached to the cell membrane by a molecular motor. This molecular motor – composed of cytosolic, membrane, and pseudo-periplasmic ...
Perhaps the most recognizable extracellular bacterial cell structures are flagella. Flagella are whip-like structures protruding from the bacterial cell wall and are responsible for bacterial motility (movement). The arrangement of flagella about the bacterial cell is unique to the species observed. Common forms include:
The bacterial flagellum shares a common ancestor with the type III secretion system, [125] [126] while archaeal flagella appear to have evolved from bacterial type IV pili. [127] In contrast with the bacterial flagellum, which is hollow and assembled by subunits moving up the central pore to the tip of the flagella, archaeal flagella are ...
While bacterial cells often have many flagellar filaments, each of which rotates independently, the archaeal flagellum is composed of a bundle of many filaments that rotates as a single assembly. Bacterial flagella grow by the addition of flagellin subunits at the tip; archaeal flagella grow by the addition of subunits to the base.
Bacterial flagella are helical filaments, each with a rotary motor at its base which can turn clockwise or counterclockwise. [117] [118] [119] They provide two of several kinds of bacterial motility. [120] [121] Archaeal flagella are called archaella, and function in much the same way as bacterial
Many bacteria, such as Vibrio, are monoflagellated and have a single flagellum at one pole of the cell. Their method of chemotaxis is different. Others possess a single flagellum that is kept inside the cell wall. These bacteria move by spinning the whole cell, which is shaped like a corkscrew. [96]
Whereas peptidoglycan is a standard component of all bacterial cell walls, all archaeal cell walls lack peptidoglycan, [42] though some methanogens have a cell wall made of a similar polymer called pseudopeptidoglycan. [12] There are four types of cell wall currently known among the Archaea.
Other cellular extensions that protrude from the cell membrane are known as membrane protrusions or cell protrusions, also cell appendages, such as flagella, and microvilli. [8] [9] Microtentacles are cell protrusions attached to free-floating cells, associated with the spread of some cancer cells. [10]