Je soutiens l'X
Observation of a new mechanism enabling protein droplets to swim
A team from the Hydrodynamics Laboratory (LadHyX*), in collaboration with ETH Zürich and Cornell University, has identified a new physical phenomenon by which bioinspired protein droplets are able to move. This mechanism could play a role in the organization of living cells.
Microscope image of spontaneous flow within a protein drop © Étienne Jambon-Puillet et al.
04 Jul. 2024
While studying an artificial system of reactive protein droplets, similar to the membraneless organelles in cells, scientists noticed unexpected movements: the droplets began to swim, i.e. to move spontaneously and attract each other. This phenomenon, known as dialytaxis, is analogous to the Marangoni effect, well known in other systems such as soap liquids, but demonstrated here for the first time in biomolecular condensates.
This work is published in Nature Communications
Link to the scientific publication: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-47889-y