Functions of Flagella

Flagella conducts the following activities:

  • They facilitate mobility in an organism.
  • Few eukaryotes have a flagellum to speed up reproduction.
  • They serve as sensory organs, detecting changes in pH and temperature.
  • Recent studies have demonstrated that flagella can function as a secretory organelle as well. Example: Chlamydomonas.

Understanding Flagella: Structure, Function, and Diversity

Flagella are hair-like protrusions, intricate whip-like appendages crucial for cellular movement in various organisms. These microstructures propel cells through liquids, helping in navigation, nutrients, and defense mechanisms. Flagella are important features in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic cells, showcasing a variety of diversity in structure and function. Explore more of the mechanisms of flagellar movement, their roles in microbial biology, and their significance in understanding cellular motility and adaptation in diverse environments.

In this article, we study types, structures, functions, and facts about flagella in detail.

Table of Content

  • What is Flagella?
  • Flagella Location
  • Flagella Diagram
  • Bacterial Flagella
  • Structure of Flagella on Bacteria
    • Basal Body
    • Hook
    • Filament
    • Motor
    • Types of Bacterial Flagella
  • Types of Flagella
  • Difference Between Bacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic Flagella
  • Functions of Flagella
  • Flagella Example
  • Cilia versus Flagella

Similar Reads

What is Flagella?

Flagella are hair-like protrusions from the cell body with dimensions ranging from 5 to 20 m and 10 to 30 nm. A variety of motile bacteria, including Selenomonas and Wolinella succinogenes, use it as a locomotive organelle. The Flagellum is made up of three parts: the basal body, the hook, and the filament. Bacteria can contain as little as one or two Flagella or hundreds of them....

Flagella Location

Flagella can be found in various locations on a cell....

Flagella Diagram

The labeled diagram of flagella is shown below:...

Bacterial Flagella

Bacterial flagella is a motile organelle made up of thousands of different protein subunits. The axial structure is the filamentous portion that protrudes from the cell membrane. It is made up of the filament, the hook, and the rod in addition to other smaller sections. Each of the three major components shows fairly different mechanical properties to carry out its particular job, yet they all share a basic architecture of subunit arrangement and a self-assembly mechanism....

Structure of Flagella on Bacteria

A hair-like helical structure called a flagellum (singular) arises from the cell membrane and cell wall. It controls the bacteria’s ability to move. It is thin in size, 15–20 nm in diameter. Only after dyeing with a specific stain that increases the Flagella’s diameter can a single flagellum be seen under a light microscope. Flagella are helical, not straight. It is referred to as the H antigen and is made up of the globular protein flagellin. There are three components to a flagellum: Basal body, Hook and Filament....

Types of Flagella

Flagella exist in three different types: bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic. Dynein and microtubules in eukaryotic flagella move through bending. Bacterial and archaeal flagella lack dynein and microtubules, and they spin to move....

Difference Between Bacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic Flagella

The below table shows the comparison between Bacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic Flagella including their structure, movement, growth, presence etc....

Functions of Flagella

Flagella conducts the following activities:...

Flagella Example

Examples of flagella include:...

Cilia versus Flagella

Motion is produced at the cellular level by the regular beat patterns of eukaryotic cilia and Flagella. Examples range from the movement of fluid along a stationary layer of cells, such as in the respiratory tract, to the propulsion of single cells, like the swimming of spermatozoa....

Conclusion : Flagella

In conclusion, flagella are essential cell organelles found on various microorganisms and some sperm cells. The flagella function to providing mobility. Flagella structure consists of a basal body, hook, filament, and motor, they enable bacteria to move through liquid environments. Flagella play crucial roles in detecting environmental changes, facilitating reproduction, and even functioning as sensory organs. Moreover, they differ from cilia in their movement patterns and assembly, contributing significantly to cellular motion and function....

FAQs on Flagella

Where are Flagella Located?...