Uropathogenic Escherichia coli flagellar apparatus (UPEC flagellum) (UPEC flagellum)

The Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) motility apparatus is a complex, multi-protein nanomachine, primarily composed of the bacterial flagellum, that facilitates movement through the urinary tract (PubMed: 22237503). It consists of three main parts: a basal body that acts as a rotary motor, a universal joint (hook), and a long helical filament made of flagellin (FliC) (UniProt: P06179). This apparatus is essential for UPEC virulence, allowing the bacteria to ascend from the bladder to the kidneys, thereby causing pyelonephritis and potentially entering the bloodstream (PubMed: 15557271). Beyond locomotion, the motility apparatus is involved in chemotaxis, biofilm formation, and initial adhesion to host cells (PubMed: 21930716). Because motility is a key virulence factor, it is a target for "anti-virulence" therapies that aim to disarm the pathogen without exerting the strong selective pressure for resistance associated with traditional antibiotics (PubMed: 30254114). Experimental inhibitors have been designed to target the MotA/MotB stator complex or disrupt the assembly of the flagellar filament (PubMed: 28808611). These strategies focus on reducing the ability of UPEC to colonize and persist within the host environment, representing a shift toward precision medicine in treating infectious diseases.

Other names

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli motility apparatusUPEC motility systemBacterial flagellumFlagellar motorFlagellar filamentFliC complex

Inhibition of flagellar motor rotation, disruption of flagellar assembly, or inhibition of flagellin expression (PubMed: 30254114, PubMed: 28808611).