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A flagellum (/ f l ə ˈ dʒ ɛ l əm /; pl.: flagella) (Latin for 'whip' or 'scourge') is a hair-like appendage that protrudes from certain plant and animal sperm cells, from fungal spores (), and from a wide range of microorganisms to provide motility.
The evolution of flagella is of great interest to biologists because the three known varieties of flagella – (eukaryotic, bacterial, and archaeal) each represent a sophisticated cellular structure that requires the interaction of many different systems.
In some flagellates, flagella direct food into a cytostome or mouth, where food is ingested. Flagella role in classifying eukaryotes . Among protoctists and microscopic animals , a flagellate is an organism with one or more flagella.
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:
Flagellins are a family of proteins present in flagellated bacteria [1] which arrange themselves in a hollow cylinder to form the filament in a bacterial flagellum. Flagellin has a mass on average of about 40,000 daltons. [2] [3] Flagellins are the principal component of bacterial flagella that have a crucial role in bacterial motility.
[14] [3] During the rotation of the bacterial flagellar motor, which is located in the membrane, the flagella rotate at speeds between 200 and 2000 rpm, depending on the bacterial species. The hook substructure of the bacterial flagellum acts as a universal joint connecting the motor to the flagellar filament. [13]
Food poisoning, also known as foodborne illness, is a common sickness caused by swallowing food or liquids that contain harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites, and sometimes even chemicals.
The bacteria reach the less acidic mucosa by use of their flagella. [26] Three strains studied showed a variation in length from 2.8–3.3 μm but a fairly constant diameter of 0.55–0.58 μm. [ 24 ]