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. 1992 Oct;174(19):6198–6206. doi: 10.1128/jb.174.19.6198-6206.1992

A three-start helical sheath on the flagellar filament of Caulobacter crescentus.

S Trachtenberg 1, D J DeRosier 1
PMCID: PMC207688  PMID: 1400169

Abstract

An unusual feature in preparations of the Caulobacter crescentus flagellar filaments is that some filaments are surrounded by a set of three windings that form a sheath. We provide evidence that the sheath is composed of subunits having a molecular mass of 24,000 Da. We suggest that the sheath could be composed of protofilaments of flagellin wound around the filament.

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