Required for formation of the rod structure of the flagellar apparatus. May constitute the export apparatus of flagellin (By similarity). The flagellum is required to cause a persistent disease in a murine model of infection. Belongs to the FHIPEP (flagella/HR/invasion proteins export pore) family. Despite the presence of a stop codon in position 243 in the fliF gene and in position 127 in the flhA gene, it has been shown that B.melitensis is able to express genes corresponding to the M ring, the hook and the filament of the flagellar apparatus in the early log phase of growth in 2YT broth. Under these conditions, a polar and sheathed flagellar structure is visible by transmission electron microscopy. Truncated C-terminus.