Stator dynamics of the bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellar motor is the membrane-embedded rotary motor which turns the flagellum that provides thrust to many bacteria. This large multimeric complex, composed of a few dozen constituent proteins, is a hallmark of dynamic subunit exchange. The stator units are inner-membrane ion channels which dynamically bind to the peptidoglycan at the rotor periphery and apply torque. The dynamic exchange is a function of the viscous load on the flagellum, allowing the bacterium to adapt to its local environment, though the molecular mechanisms of mechanosensitivity remain unknown.