• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.973-978
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• 2001

The bacterial flagellar motor is a molecular machine that couples proton or sodium influx to force generation, mostly for driving rotation of the helical flagellar filament. In this study, we cloned a gene (motX) encoding a component of the sodium-driven flagellar motor from Vibrio fluvialis. The nucleotide sequence of the motX gene, composed of 633 bp and 211 amino acid residues, was determined. Overexpression of the motX gene in Escherichia coli using a strong promoter induced growth inhibition and cell lysis. The lethal effect of E. coli was suppressed by adding amiloride, as a potent inhibitor for the sodium channel. Electron microscopic observation of the expressed protein indicated that MotX protein induced by isopropyl ${\beta}$-D-thiogalactopyranoside caused the lysis of host cell.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.451-453
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• 2002

The rotation of the flagellar motor is powered by the electrochemical gradient of specific ions across the cytoplasmic membrane. Recently, the gents of the Na'-driven motor have been cloned from marine bacterium of Vibrio sp. and some of the motor proteins have been purified and characterized. Also, motx gene encoding a channel component of the sodium type flagellar motor was identified from Vibrio Huuiaiis (KTCC 2473). The amino acid sequence of MotX protein from V, Huvialis shared 90, 85, $85\%$ identity with V, cholerae, V. alginolyticus, V parahaemolyticus, respectively. We have studied the localization of the expressed MotX protein in Escherichia coli by immune-gold labeling of ultra-thin frozen section. Our observation of the expressed protein indicated that MotX protein could be existed as attachment to inner membrane in E. coli.