Abstract
A model theory has been proposed, which explains the polymorphism of Salmonella flagella observed by Asakura. Relation between the overall shapes of the helical flagellar filaments and the shapes of their constituents, i.e. , the flagellin monomer units is derived with the aid of two parameters, the curvature and the torsion of the helix. The model proposed is based upon the assumptions that the flagellin molecules in the flagellum assume two states R and T depending upon circumstances, as discussed by Asakura, that the flagellar filament consists of eight strands of the flagellin monomer units, that the five polymorphs have one, three, five, seven and eight T-type strands, respectively. Agreement is obtained between the observed and calculated values of curvatures and torsions of the helical flagellar filaments, and the parameters are determined, which characterize the shapes of the flagellin monomer units.
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