REQUIREMENT OF PHOSPHATIDYLGLYCEROL FOR FLAGELLATION OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI

We report that phosphatidylglycerol is required for flagellation of Es cherichia coli. Cells carrying the pgsA3 mutation did not form swarm r ings in semisolid agar. P1 transduction experiments revealed that the potential for phosphatidylglycerol synthesis and for the formation of swarm rings was co-transducible. The pgsA3 mutant transformed with the wild type pgsA+ gene cloned into the R-plasmid vector had the potenti al for both phosphatidylglycerol synthesis and cell motility. Electron microscopic and SDS-PAGE analyses showed that the pgsA3 mutation cause s the lack of flagellation.