Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40595287›Full record

ArticleNature microbiology2025

The structure of the complete extracellular bacterial flagellum reveals the mechanism of flagellin incorporation.

Rosa Einenkel, Kailin Qin, Julia Schmidt, Natalie S Al-Otaibi, Daniel Mann, Tina Drobnič, Eli J Cohen, Nayim Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Jane Harrowell, Elena Shmakova and 3 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. The ancient E-ring in bacterial flagellar motors.FEMS microbiology reviews · 2026
    Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Rosa Einenkel *Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Kailin Qin *Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
Julia SchmidtInstitute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Natalie S Al-OtaibiRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK.
Daniel MannForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9106-9358
Tina DrobničImperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6364-1874
Eli J CohenImperial College London, London, UK.
Nayim Gonzalez-RodriguezImperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5956-9128
Jane HarrowellImperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-0619-4844
Elena ShmakovaImperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6228-725X
Morgan BeebyImperial College London, London, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6413-9835
Marc ErhardtInstitute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany. marc.erhardt@hu-berlin.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6292-619X
Julien R C BergeronRandall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King's College London, London, UK. julien.bergeron@kcl.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2841-9511

Funding

EC | EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation H2020 | H2020 Priority Excellent Science | H2020 European Research Council (H2020 Excellent Science - European Research Council) 864971Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) RGY0080/2021RCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) BB/R009759/2
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The bacterial flagellum is essential for motility, adhesion and colonization in pathogens such as Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter jejuni. Its extracellular structure comprises the hook, hook-filament junction, filament and filament cap. Native structures of the hook-filament junction and the cap are lacking, and molecular mechanisms of cap-mediated filament assembly are largely uncharacterized. Here we use cryo-electron microscopy to resolve structures of the complete Salmonella extracellular flagellum including the pentameric FliD cap complex (3.7 Å) and the FlgKL hook-filament junction (2.9 Å), as well as the Campylobacter extracellular flagellum before filament assembly (6.5 Å). This, coupled with structure-guided mutagenesis and functional assays, reveals intermediates of filament assembly, showing that FliD cap protein terminal domain movement and clockwise rotation enable flagellin incorporation and stabilization of the filament. We show that the hook-filament junction acts as a buffer, preventing transfer of mechanical stress to the filament, and reveal the structural basis for the initiation of filament assembly. Collectively, this study provides comprehensive insights into flagellum assembly and how flagellin incorporation is coupled with its secretion.

Indexed as

Campylobacter jejuniFlagellaFlagellinSalmonella entericaBacterial ProteinsCryoelectron MicroscopyModels, MolecularBacterial ProteinsFlagellin

Identifiers

PMID40595287
PMCPMC12221982

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.