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Introduction to Prokaryotic Flagella definitions

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  • Flagellum
    A long, filamentous surface protein structure responsible for propelling a prokaryotic cell through its environment.
  • Flagella
    Multiple long, whip-like appendages on a cell surface that enable movement and directional motility.
  • Motility
    The ability of a cell to move actively through its environment, often driven by surface appendages.
  • Tuft
    A cluster of several flagella grouped together at a specific region on a bacterial cell surface.
  • Distribution
    The arrangement pattern of flagella on a bacterial cell, used to categorize and identify bacteria.
  • Atrichous
    A flagellar distribution type where a bacterial cell lacks any flagella on its surface.
  • Polar
    A flagellar arrangement where flagella are located at one or both ends of a bacterial cell.
  • Monotrichous
    A polar distribution subtype with a single flagellum positioned at one pole of a bacterial cell.
  • Lophotrichous
    A polar distribution subtype with multiple flagella grouped at one pole of a bacterial cell.
  • Amphitrichous
    A polar distribution subtype with one flagellum at each of two opposite poles of a bacterial cell.
  • Peritrichous
    A flagellar distribution where flagella are spread over the entire surface of a bacterial cell.
  • Identification
    The process of distinguishing bacterial species based on observable features such as flagellar arrangement.
  • Surface Protein
    A protein structure extending from the cell membrane, often involved in movement or environmental interaction.