[3] The protein complex regulates the direction of flagellar rotation and hence controls swimming behaviour.

[5] Several amino acids within the middle third of FliG appear to be strongly involved in the FliG–FliM interaction, with residues near the N- or C-termini being less important.

[5] Such clustering suggests that FliG-FliM interaction plays a central role in switching.

Analysis of the FliG, FliM and FliN sequences shows that none are especially hydrophobic or appear to be integral membrane proteins.

[6] This result is consistent with other evidence suggesting that the proteins may be peripheral to the membrane, possibly mounted on the basal body M ring.