The Role of the Bacterial Flagellar Motor in Infection

Preprint of book chapter on role of bacterial flagellar motor in infection. Abstract The bacterial flagellar motor plays an important role in the infective lifecycle of some bacteria. These nanomachines use ions to generate torque to rotate a whip-like appendage known as a flagellum. The flagellar motor allows bacteria to move within its environment, either towards attractants or away from repellents, through a process called chemotaxis. Not only does the flagella provide motility to bacteria but is also an important component in the formation or biofilms subsequent disease outcomes. In this chapter, we outline the structural composition of the bacterial flagellar motor, investigate its diversity in selected human pathogens and illustrate how bacteria utilise this nanomachine to infect their hosts.