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Abstract
The recently identified flu operon of Treponema pallidum contains several genes that encode motilityrelated proteins. We have determined the nucleotide sequences of three genes, designated flhA, flhF, and or/304, that are located immediately downstream of the flhB gene in the fla operon. The flhA gene encodes a 707-amino acid protein that contains five putative membrane spanning domains. FlhA has strong homology with members of a family of proteins that are involved in flagellar biogenesis and regulation/secretion of virulence-related proteins. The flhF gene encodes a 437-amino acid protein that contains three consensus elements that are characteristic of a GTP-binding domain. The or/304 gene encodes a 304-amino acid protein that contains a consensus ATP-binding motif. The order of the flhA, flhF, and or/304 genes is identical to that of corresponding genes in the Bacillus subtilis che/fla operon. Due to the location of the flhA, flhF and or/304 genes in the T. pallidum fla operon, we hypothesize that the FlhA, FlhF, and Orf304 proteins are involved in the biogenesis/assembly of treponemal periplasmic flagella.