Flagellin as an object for supramolecular engineering.

A model of tertiary and quaternary structure of E. coli flagellin is suggested. According to this model, the molecule consists of two independent parts. One of them is formed by the N- and C-terminal regions of the polypeptide chain and is responsible for polymerization properties. The other consists of the central region of the polypeptide chain and composes that part of the molecular globule that forms the flagella surface. It is suggested that different artificial supramolecular structures can be constructed from flagellin molecules by varying the surface domain, i.e. the central part of the polypeptide chain, and by using the domain responsible for polymerization properties as a universal block for assembly. The simplest possible artificial supramolecular structures that can be constructed from flagellins of different strains are discussed.