Featured
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Research Briefing |
Mechanical asymmetry in nucleocytoplasmic protein transport
The nuclear pore complex of eukaryotic cells senses the mechanical directionality of translocating proteins, favouring the passage of those that have a leading mechanically labile region. Adding an unstructured, mechanically weak peptide tag to a translocating protein increases its rate of nuclear import and accumulation, suggesting a biotechnological strategy to enhance the delivery of molecular cargos into the cell nucleus.
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Perspective |
Epistemic agency as a critical mediator of physics learning
Encouraging students to take ownership of their learning can improve their outcomes. This Perspective discusses ways to achieve this in the context of physics education and how digital technology can help Gen Z students in particular.
- Nam-Hwa Kang
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Perspective |
Drug design on quantum computers
Quantum computers promise to efficiently predict the structure and behaviour of molecules. This Perspective explores how this could overcome existing challenges in computational drug discovery.
- Raffaele Santagati
- , Alan Aspuru-Guzik
- & Clemens Utschig-Utschig
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Article |
Self-organized intracellular twisters
Cytoplasmic flows in the fruit fly oocyte can reorganize cellular components. These structured vortical flows arise through self-organizing dynamics of microtubules, molecular motors and cytoplasm.
- Sayantan Dutta
- , Reza Farhadifar
- & Michael J. Shelley
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Research Briefing |
Defects show self-constraint in active nematics
Studies of a biological active nematic fluid reveal a spontaneous self-constraint that arises between self-motile topological defects and mesoscale coherent flow structures. The defects follow specific contours of the flow field, on which vorticity and strain rate balance, and hence, contrary to expectation, they break mirror symmetry.
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Article
| Open AccessEmergent seesaw oscillations during cellular directional decision-making
Cell motion along linear confinements is deterministic. Now a model predicts deterministic oscillations in cellular polarization at a Y junction in a set-up with adhesive patterns.
- Jonathan E. Ron
- , Michele Crestani
- & Nir S. Gov
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Article |
Heavy-tailed neuronal connectivity arises from Hebbian self-organization
The strengths of connections in networks of neurons are heavy-tailed, with some neurons connected much more strongly than most. Now a simple network model can explain how this heavy-tailed connectivity emerges across four different species.
- Christopher W. Lynn
- , Caroline M. Holmes
- & Stephanie E. Palmer
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Article |
The low-rank hypothesis of complex systems
Although using low-rank matrices is the go-to approach to model the dynamics of complex systems, its validity remains formally unconfirmed. An analysis of random networks and real-world data now sheds light on this low-rank hypothesis and its implications.
- Vincent Thibeault
- , Antoine Allard
- & Patrick Desrosiers
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News & Views |
Friction pulls cells into shape
Cells actively rearrange their cytoplasmic machinery to perform diverse functions. Now, friction forces generated between cytoplasmic components provide a physical basis for cell shape change.
- Toby G. R. Andrews
- & Rashmi Priya
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Article
| Open AccessFriction forces determine cytoplasmic reorganization and shape changes of ascidian oocytes upon fertilization
Friction forces at the interface between tissues play a key role in tissue morphogenesis. Now friction at the cellular scale is shown to influence cell shape and cell rearrangements.
- Silvia Caballero-Mancebo
- , Rushikesh Shinde
- & Carl-Philipp Heisenberg
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News & Views |
Cells play tug-of-war to start moving collectively
Orderly or coherent multicellular flows are fundamental in biology, but their triggers are not understood. In epithelial tissues, the tug-of-war between cells is now shown to lead to intrinsic asymmetric distributions in cell polarities that drive such flows.
- Guillermo A. Gomez
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Article |
Spontaneous rotations in epithelia as an interplay between cell polarity and boundaries
Coherent motion of cells plays an important role in morphogenesis. Experiments with cellular rings, supported by numerical simulations, suggest that cell polarity and acto-myosin cables are important factors in the onset of coherence.
- S. Lo Vecchio
- , O. Pertz
- & D. Riveline
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Article |
Size-dependent transition from steady contraction to waves in actomyosin networks with turnover
The behaviour of actomyosin networks with turnover emerges from the interplay between advection and percolation. The contraction pattern is shown to be size-dependent with continuous contraction in small droplets and periodic waves in larger systems.
- Ashwini Krishna
- , Mariya Savinov
- & Kinneret Keren
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Editorial |
Lost and found in translation
Many advances in biological physics result from multidisciplinary collaborations. We celebrate the physics of life with a collection of articles that offer insight into successful interactions between researchers from different fields.
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World View |
Strategies for multidisciplinary research
Invest in fostering a culture of collaboration to help break down barriers between disciplines.
- Teresa Sanchis
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Comment |
Cell biology through the macroscopic lens
Macroscale analogies are a powerful conceptual tool with which we can gain insight into the structures and processes of the microscopic world of cell biology.
- Michelle A. Baird
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World View |
How to bridge the gap between theory and experiments in biological physics
Creating a common culture and language for successful collaboration across disciplines benefits both researchers and scientific discovery.
- Xavier Trepat
- & Ricard Alert
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Article |
Laser ablation and fluid flows reveal the mechanism behind spindle and centrosome positioning
Cell division is governed by the positioning of a cytoskeletal structure called the spindle. Two methods, one based on laser ablation and the other on fluid flow assessments, are now shown to be useful tools for studying spindle positioning.
- Hai-Yin Wu
- , Gökberk Kabacaoğlu
- & Daniel J. Needleman
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Research Briefing |
Biofilm self-organization arises from active boundary shaping
An approach combining single-cell imaging, agent-based simulations, and continuum mechanics theory is used to observe the effect of environmental stiffness on biofilm development. These measurements indicate that confined biofilms behave as active nematics, in which the internal organization and cell lineage are controlled by the shape and boundary of the biofilm.
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Article
| Open AccessChiral and nematic phases of flexible active filaments
Filaments of the FtsZ protein can form chiral assemblies. Now, active matter tools link the microscopic structure of active filaments to the large-scale collective phase of these assemblies.
- Zuzana Dunajova
- , Batirtze Prats Mateu
- & Martin Loose
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Article |
Biofilms as self-shaping growing nematics
Confined biofilms can shape themselves and their boundary to modify their internal organisation. This mechanism could inform the development of active materials that control their own geometry.
- Japinder Nijjer
- , Changhao Li
- & Jing Yan
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Article |
Scaling behaviour and control of nuclear wrinkling
Wrinkling of cell nuclei is associated with disease. During development, the nucleus behaves like a sheet of paper and the wrinkling amplitude can be manipulated without changing its pattern.
- Jonathan A. Jackson
- , Nicolas Romeo
- & Jasmin Imran Alsous
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News & Views |
Mechanical waves help zebrafish regrow their tails
Regenerative animals accurately regrow lost appendages. Now, research suggests that mechanical waves propagating from the amputation edge have a key role in this process.
- Yutaka Matsubayashi
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Comment |
Constructive ignorance in the Physics of Life Network
Physics of Life research in the UK is transforming scientific insight and translational impact. Here I discuss its disruptive potential and barriers to interdisciplinary research through the lens of the activities of one of its pioneers, Tom McLeish.
- Mark C. Leake
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News & Views |
Synthetic cells on the move
The two-component bacterial MinDE protein system is the simplest biological pattern-forming system ever reported. Now, it establishes a mechanochemical feedback loop fuelling the persistent motion of liposomes.
- Kerstin Göpfrich
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Article
| Open AccessDemonstration of momentum cooling to enhance the potential of cancer treatment with proton therapy
In cyclotron-based proton therapy facilities, beam loss due to large momentum spread can limit ultrahigh dose rates. Now, beam transmission is enhanced and higher dose rate is achieved by introducing momentum cooling through a wedge.
- Vivek Maradia
- , David Meer
- & Serena Psoroulas
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Article |
Mechanical waves identify the amputation position during wound healing in the amputated zebrafish tailfin
It is known that mechanical waves play a role in collective motion in vitro. Now these waves can help an amputated zebrafish know where its fin was cut off to aid regeneration.
- Marco P. De Leon
- , Fu-Lai Wen
- & Chen-Hui Chen
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Article
| Open AccessMechanochemical feedback loop drives persistent motion of liposomes
Through a mechanochemical feedback loop involving Min proteins of Escherichia coli, liposomes start to move, which may help to design motile artificial cells.
- Meifang Fu
- , Tom Burkart
- & Petra Schwille
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News & Views |
A molecular motor for cellular delivery and sorting
A biomolecular motor exploits a rigid-to-flexible transition of a protein tether, which allows thermal fluctuations to draw together vesicle membranes. This entropic motor helps traffic material into and around cells.
- Shamreen Iram
- & Michael Hinczewski
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Article
| Open AccessTwo-component molecular motor driven by a GTPase cycle
ATPases can cyclically convert free energy into mechanical work. Now, it is shown that the GTPase Rab5 can also perform mechanical work as part of a two-component molecular motor with the tethering protein EEA1.
- Anupam Singh
- , Joan Antoni Soler
- & Shashi Thutupalli
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Article
| Open AccessActive cell divisions generate fourfold orientationally ordered phase in living tissue
In the crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis, the analysis of the dynamics of fourfold tissue ordering reveals cell divisions as the underlying mechanism.
- Dillon J. Cislo
- , Fengshuo Yang
- & Sebastian J. Streichan
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News & Views |
Tissues flow and grow
Developing tissues undergo collective cell movement and changes to their material properties, such as flow characteristics. Now tissue fluidity is linked to tissue growth.
- Asako Shindo
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Article
| Open AccessCell cycle dynamics control fluidity of the developing mouse neuroepithelium
Developing tissues undergo rheology transitions that are often linked to cell–cell adhesion. Now, tissue fluidity is linked to interkinetic nuclear movements and tissue growth.
- Laura Bocanegra-Moreno
- , Amrita Singh
- & Anna Kicheva
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Article |
Intermittency, fluctuations and maximal chaos in an emergent universal state of active turbulence
Active fluids exhibit regimes with a complex spatio-temporal structure reminiscent of inertial turbulence. Now, inertial and active turbulence are theoretically shown to be closely related indeed.
- Siddhartha Mukherjee
- , Rahul K. Singh
- & Samriddhi Sankar Ray
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News & Views |
The secret life of the protein VASP
Biomolecular condensates compartmentalize and concentrate cellular components without the delimitation of a lipid membrane. The protein VASP is now shown to condense, resulting in the reorganization of actin, a key component of the cell cytoskeleton.
- Julie Plastino
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Research Briefing |
A DNA-based nanorobotic arm driven by a molecular wind-up motor
A DNA-based nanorobotic arm connected to a base plate through a flexible joint can be used to store and release mechanical energy. The joint acts as a torsion spring that is wound up by rotating the arm using external electric fields and is released using a high-frequency electrical pulse.
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Article |
Storage of mechanical energy in DNA nanorobotics using molecular torsion springs
The molecular joint of a nanorobotic arm can be wound up to store mechanical energy and then relaxed to drive the rotation of a DNA nanodevice.
- Matthias Vogt
- , Martin Langecker
- & Jonathan List
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Letter
| Open AccessFish shoals resemble a stochastic excitable system driven by environmental perturbations
Certain fish shoals ward off bird attacks by touching the water surface in a manner resembling waves observed in stadiums. This behaviour exhibits characteristics that suggest the fish might operate close to criticality.
- Luis Gómez-Nava
- , Robert T. Lange
- & Pawel Romanczuk
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Article
| Open AccessSize distributions of intracellular condensates reflect competition between coalescence and nucleation
Biomolecular condensates play a role in cellular processes and their size affects reaction pathways. The size distribution is connected to varying contributions of nucleation and coalescence.
- Daniel S. W. Lee
- , Chang-Hyun Choi
- & Ned S. Wingreen
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Article |
Liquid-like VASP condensates drive actin polymerization and dynamic bundling
The protein VASP can undergo liquid–liquid phase separation. The interplay between the surface tension of the VASP droplet and actin polymerization controls the bundling of actin filaments, a necessary step for many cellular processes.
- Kristin Graham
- , Aravind Chandrasekaran
- & Jeanne C. Stachowiak
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News & Views |
How cells dig a hole for themselves
Epithelial tissues cover our organs and play an important role as physical barriers. The conditions leading to spontaneous hole formation in monolayer epithelia, which challenge epithelial integrity, have now been revealed.
- Tatiana Merle
- & Magali Suzanne
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