flagellin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Low Frequency (C2+)Technical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “flagellin” mean?
The primary protein that makes up the filament of a bacterial flagellum.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The primary protein that makes up the filament of a bacterial flagellum.
A specific structural protein, part of the flagellar filament, used by bacteria for motility and sometimes recognized as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) by the innate immune system.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between British and American English in the scientific context.
Connotations
Solely technical, with connotations related to bacteriology, motility, and immune response.
Frequency
Equally rare in both dialects, confined to specialist literature.
Grammar
How to Use “flagellin” in a Sentence
Flagellin is a major component of...The bacterium expresses flagellin.The immune system detects flagellin via...The gene encoding flagellin is...Flagellin monomers polymerize to form...TLR5 binds to flagellin.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “flagellin” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. Might appear in biotechnology/pharma investment reports.
Academic
Exclusively used in microbiology, immunology, and biochemistry research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Core term in bacteriology for describing the structure of flagella and immune recognition of bacteria.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “flagellin”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “flagellin”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “flagellin”
- Pronouncing it as /ˈflæɡəlɪn/ (with a hard 'g'). The correct pronunciation has a soft 'g' (/dʒ/).
- Using it as a general term for any flagellum-related part; it is specifically the filament protein.
- Misspelling as 'flagellin' or 'flagelline'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes. While some eukaryotic flagella/cilia have different structural proteins, the term 'flagellin' specifically refers to the protein forming the filament of prokaryotic (bacterial and archaeal) flagella.
Flagellin is a classic Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern (PAMP). It is detected by Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) on certain immune cells, triggering an inflammatory response to fight bacterial infection.
Yes. Many bacteria are non-motile and lack flagella entirely, and therefore have no flagellin. Some pathogenic bacteria can turn off flagellin production to evade immune detection.
It is a family of homologous proteins. While all bacterial flagellins share a common core structure, their amino acid sequences vary significantly between species, which can affect immune recognition.
The primary protein that makes up the filament of a bacterial flagellum.
Flagellin is usually technical/scientific in register.
Flagellin: in British English it is pronounced /fləˈdʒɛlɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /fləˈdʒɛlɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'FLAGellum proteIN' = FLAGELLIN. It's the building block of the little whip (flagellum) bacteria use to swim.
Conceptual Metaphor
The Bricks of the Bacterial Motor / The Key that Unlocks Immune Alarms.
Practice
Quiz
Flagellin is best described as: