Flagellar motility and structure in the hyperthermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

Flagellation in archaea is widespread and is involved in swimming motility. Here, we demonstrate that the structural flagellin gene from the crenarchaeaon Suffolobus soffiataricus is highly expressed in stationary-phase-grown cells and under unfavorable nutritional conditions. A mutant in a flagellar auxiliary gene, flaJ, was found to be nonmotile. Electron microscopic imaging of the flagellum indicates that the filaments are composed of right-handed helices.