Helicobacter pylori FlgN binds its substrate FlgK and the flagellum ATPase FliI in a similar manner observed for the FliT chaperone

In bacterial flagellum biogenesis, secretion of the hook–filament junction proteins FlgK and FlgL and completion of the flagellum requires the FlgN chaperone. Similarly, the related FliT chaperone is necessary for the secretion of the filament cap protein FliD and binds the flagellar export gate protein FlhA and the flagellum ATPase FliI. FlgN and FliT require FliJ for effective substrate secretion. In Helicobacter pylori, neither FlgN, FliT, nor FliJ have been annotated. We demonstrate that the genome location of HP1120 is identical to that of flgN in other flagellated bacteria and that HP1120 is the homolog of Campylobacter jejuni FlgN. A modeled HP1120 structure contains three α‐helices and resembles the FliT chaperone, sharing a similar substrate‐binding pocket. Using pulldowns and thermophoresis, we show that both HP1120 and a HP1120Δ126–144 deletion mutant bind to FlgK with nanomolar affinity, but not to the filament cap protein FliD, confirming that HP1120 is FlgN. Based on size‐exclusion chromatography and multi‐angle light scattering, H. pylori FlgN binds to FlgK with 1:1 stoichiometry. Overall structural similarities between FlgN and FliT suggest that substrate recognition on FlgN primarily involves an antiparallel coiled‐coil interface between the third helix of FlgN and the C‐terminal helix of the substrate. A FlgNΔ126–144 N100A, Y103A, S111I triple mutant targeting this interface significantly impairs the binding of FlgK. Finally, we demonstrate that FlgNΔ126–144, like FliT, binds with sub‐micromolar affinity to the flagellum ATPase FliI or its N‐terminal domain. Hence FlgN and FliT likely couple delivery of low‐abundance export substrates to the flagellum ATPase FliI.