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| | Evolution of Bacterial Flagella |
 | | Eubacteria and archebacteria have flagella that look almost identical, except that they are composed of completely different, non-homologous proteins (and they are both different from the eukaryote flagellum)(3,12). |
 | | A possible scenario for the evolution of the eubacterial flagella is as follows: a secretory system arose first, based around the SMC rod pore forming complex, which was the common ancestor of the type III secretory system, and the flagellar system. |
 | | Thus, if the flagella is a secretory system that has been co-opted for a motile function (while still retaining some of it's secretory function), then the ICness of the system is in the mind of the beholder, and a clear path for it's evolution is opened up. |
| www.health.adelaide.edu.au /Pharm/Musgrave/essays/flagella.htm (2420 words) |
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