アリゾナ州立大学の科学者らが、細菌が通常の鞭毛構造を使わずに広がる2つの意外な方法を特定した。一つの研究では、大腸菌とサルモネラ菌が糖の発酵を利用して表面移動のための流体電流を生み出し、「swashing」と命名された。別の研究では、黄変菌の分子「ギアボックス」が方向性運動を制御することが明らかになった。
アリゾナ州立大学からの新たな研究により、細菌は典型的な鞭毛――通常運動を可能にする鞭状構造――を超えた代替推進方法を有することが示された。これらの発見は、微生物が表面を広がる適応性を強調し、感染制御への潜在的な示唆がある可能性がある。
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Scientists at Scripps Research report that some biomolecular condensates—membrane-less, droplet-like cellular compartments—contain networks of thin protein filaments that act as an internal scaffold. The team says disrupting this filament architecture alters condensate physical properties and impairs bacterial growth and DNA segregation, raising the possibility that condensate structure could one day be therapeutically targetable in diseases such as cancer and ALS. The study appeared in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology on February 2, 2026.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have identified hidden fluid flows inside cells that rapidly transport proteins to the leading edge, challenging traditional views of cellular movement. The discovery, made during a classroom experiment, could explain why some cancer cells spread aggressively. The findings appear in Nature Communications.
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Researchers at the John Innes Centre have identified a three-gene system that causes bacteria to burst open, releasing virus-like particles that share DNA, including antibiotic resistance genes. The system, called LypABC, resembles a repurposed bacterial immune defense. The findings, published in Nature Microbiology, highlight how bacteria facilitate horizontal gene transfer.
Scientists have discovered a novel way large embryonic cells divide without a complete contractile ring, challenging traditional models. Using zebrafish embryos, researchers identified a mechanical ratchet system involving microtubules and changing cytoplasmic stiffness. The findings, published in Nature, explain division in yolk-rich cells of various species.
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Researchers have demonstrated that the single-celled protist Stentor coeruleus can engage in associative learning, similar to Pavlov's experiments with dogs. This finding suggests such cognitive abilities may predate the evolution of brains by hundreds of millions of years. The study highlights unexpected complexity in simple organisms.