Basal Body of Gram-Negative Bacteria
- Structure: Consists of a hook, a short basal rod, and a series of basal rings (MS, P, L, and C rings)
- Function: Assembly and rotation of a single flagellum
- Location: Embedded in the outer membrane and peptidoglycan layer
- Dimensions: Hook (90-120 nm), Basal body (40-50 nm in diameter), C ring (30-40 nm in diameter)
- Composition: Mostly proteins, including flagellin, FliF, FliG, FlgE, etc.
Basal Body of Gram-Positive Bacteria
- Structure: Consists of a central rod, a short hook, and two basal discs (D and N discs)
- Function: Assembly and rotation of multiple flagella
- Location: Embedded in the plasma membrane
- Dimensions: Central rod (30-40 nm in diameter), Hook (20-30 nm), D disc (20-30 nm in diameter), N disc (10-20 nm in diameter)
- Composition: Mostly proteins, including flagellin, FliF, FliG, FlgB, etc.
Key Differences
- Number of flagella: Gram-negative bacteria have one or a few flagella, while gram-positive bacteria have multiple.
- Basal ring configuration: Gram-negative bacteria have a series of basal rings (MS, P, L, and C), while gram-positive bacteria have only two basal discs (D and N).
- Location: Gram-negative basal bodies are embedded in the outer membrane and peptidoglycan layer, while gram-positive basal bodies are embedded in the plasma membrane.
- Composition: Gram-negative basal bodies contain additional proteins, such as FliF and FliG, compared to gram-positive basal bodies.