The Polar Flagellar Motor of Vibrio cholerae Is Driven by an Na + Motive Force

Abstract
Vibrio cholerae is a highly motile bacterium which possesses a single polar flagellum as a locomotion organelle. Motility is thought to be an important factor for the virulence of V. cholerae . The genome sequencing project of this organism is in progress, and the genes that are highly homologous to the essential genes of the Na + -driven polar flagellar motor of Vibrio alginolyticus were found in the genome database of V. cholerae . The energy source of its flagellar motor was investigated. We examined the Na + dependence and the sensitivity to the Na + motor-specific inhibitor of the motility of the V. cholerae strains and present the evidence that the polar flagellar motor of V. cholerae is driven by an Na + motive force.