The Chlamydomonas flagellar membrane and its dynamic properties

This chapter overviews a membrane bound organelle and describes its dynamic properties. The plasma membrane of a Chlamydomonas cell must have at least two domains. The Chlamydomonas flagellar membrane is a sub-domain of and is morphologically continuous with the rest of the cell’s plasma membrane. The major ultrastructural features of the flagellar membrane is explained here. Most of the research focus on the Chlamydomonas flagellum has been on the structure, function, and biochemistry of the axoneme. Characteristics of some of the best studied Chlamydomonas flagellar membrane proteins are summarized. Assembly and turnover of the flagellar membrane is overviewed and three possible mechanisms by which membrane components could exit the flagellum is well explained. The dynamic properties of flagellar membrane covers the most striking and dynamic phenomena associated with the flagellar membrane of Chlamydomonas, the regulated and directed movement of membrane glycoproteins within the plane of the flagellar membrane. It appears that the directed movements of flagellar membrane proteins over long distances are responsible for most of the dynamic properties of the flagellar surface, both those common to the vegetative and gametic flagellar surface, such as gliding motility, and those unique to the gametic flagella, such as the early events of mating.