Contact-Dependent Ion Gating Explains Directional Asymmetry in the Bacterial Flagellar Motor

Abstract

The bacterial flagellar motor (BFM) is a rotary molecular machine driven by the ion electrochemical potential across the cell membrane. Recent cryo-EM structures reveal a cogwheel-like architecture in which multiple stators engage a large rotor. A longstanding puzzle is the directional asymmetry of its torque-speed relation: concave in counterclockwise (CCW) rotation but nearly linear in clockwise (CW) rotation. Here, we develop a stochastic mechanochemical model that explicitly incorporates rotor-stator coupling and detailed ion translocation kinetics. By integrating physiological torque-speed data with recent measurements of rotor-stator relative motion, we show that under physiological conditions the motor operates in a tight engagement regime, rendering the torque-speed relation largely insensitive to the specific form of mechanical interactions. This finding rules out differences in rotor-stator mechanics as the origin of CW-CCW asymmetry. Guided by cryo-EM structures, we propose a contact-dependent gating mechanism in which the MotA-FliG interaction modulates the ion release rate of the MotB subunit proximal to the FliG ring. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate tighter MotA-FliG contact in the CW motor, implying a reduced ion release rate compared to CCW. Our model demonstrates that differential gating strength accounts for the observed asymmetry: stronger gating in CCW shortens torque-free waiting phases, enhances torque generation, and produces a concave torque-speed curve, whereas weaker gating in CW yields lower torque and a linear relation. This structure-based framework quantitatively links molecular asymmetry to motor function and identifies specific interfaces for targeted perturbation and mutational studies.