Cilium

Flagellum

Cell

Motile cilium

Biology

Gene

Ultimate tensile strength

Biophysics

Metallurgy

Materials science

Trypanosoma brucei

Elongation

Cell division

Cell biology

Intraflagellar transport

Genetics

Current Biology

Bertiaux et al. provide evidence for a grow-and-lock model where the flagellum elongates before a locking event takes place in a timely defined manner, preventing further elongation or shortening. Manipulating the flagellum growth rate or the timing of cell division results in the production of flagella of different length.

A Grow-and-Lock Model for the Control of Flagellum Length in Trypanosomes