Characterization of the fliE genes of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and identification of the FliE protein as a component of the flagellar hook-basal body complex

Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium flagellar systems are encoded by at least 40 genes presently grouped into regions I, II, IIIa, and IIIb. One of the genes, fliE, which lies at the start of region IIIb, is a monocistronic operon oriented divergently from the large fliF operon. DNA sequencing showed that its product, FliE, is part of the flagellar hook-basal body. Nine subunits of the FliE proteins was estimated to be part of one basal body. Its functional role remains to be elucidated.