Microscopic 'clutch' puts flagellum in neutral

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Caption: Scientists have learned a tiny molecular clutch disengages the flagellums tail from the engine that powers its rotation. To see the full image click the link below. Credit: Zina Deretsky NSF Illustration courtesy of the National Science F ...
Caption: Scientists have learned a tiny molecular clutch disengages the flagellum's tail from the engine that powers its rotation. To see the full image, click the link below. Credit: Zina Deretsky, NSF Illustration courtesy of the National Science Foundation

A tiny but powerful engine that propels the bacterium Bacillus subtilis through liquids is disengaged from the corkscrew-like flagellum by a protein clutch, Indiana University Bloomington and Harvard University scientists have learned. Their report appears in this week's Science.


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