Physics of Living Systems

Physics of Living Systems

eLife reviews research in which approaches from the physical sciences are used to provide insights into the properties of biological systems and processes. Learn more about what we review and sign up for the latest research.
Illustration by Davide Bonazzi

Latest articles

    1. Chromosomes and Gene Expression
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Cluster size determines internal structure of transcription factories in human cells

    Massimiliano Semeraro, Giuseppe Negro ... Davide Marenduzzo
    In a polymer model of chromatin that explicitly incorporates different types of transcription factors, both specialised and mixed factories emerge naturally, with their composition governed by their size.
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Mechanical interaction enables a collective mode of protocell proliferation

    Yisen Li, Yilin Wu
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Important
    • Solid
    • Incomplete
    1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Stabilizing by steering: Enhancing bacterial motility by non-uniform diffusiophoresis

    Viet Sang Doan, Ali Nikkhah, Sangwoo Shin
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Incomplete
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Design of a minimal, allosteric, and ATPase-like machine using mechanical linkages

    Tosan Omabegho
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Important
    • Compelling
    1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Cooperative antibiotic response in coupled biofilm and planktonic E. faecalis communities

    Gabriela Fernandes Martins, Keanu Alexander Guardiola-Flores ... Kevin Wood
    Not revised
    Reviewed Preprint v1
    • Useful
    • Incomplete
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Viral commitment to infection depends on host metabolism

    Anastasios Marantos, Kim Sneppen ... Namiko Mitarai
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Valuable
    • Convincing
    1. Cell Biology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Sarcomere dynamic instability and stochastic heterogeneity drive robust cardiomyocyte contraction

    Daniel Haertter, Lara Hauke ... Christoph F Schmidt
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v3
    Updated
    • Important
    • Compelling
    1. Computational and Systems Biology
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    A coma pattern-based autofocusing method resolves bacterial cold shock response at single-cell level

    Sihong Li, Zhixin Ma ... Shuqiang Huang
    A robust autofocusing method enables continuous single-cell imaging during rapid cooling, revealing sustained bacterial proliferation hidden by growth arrest inferred from optical-density measurements.
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    Vector Biology: The exquisite mechanics of a tsetse bite

    Katelyn Fealy, Álvaro Acosta-Serrano
    Specialized anatomical structures in the mouth and feet of tsetse flies help them feed on blood from a variety of hosts.
    Version of Record
    Insight
    1. Physics of Living Systems

    The zoo of the gene networks capable of pattern formation by extracellular signaling

    Kevin Martinez-Anhom, Isaac Salazar-Ciudad
    Revised
    Reviewed Preprint v2
    Updated
    • Valuable
    • Incomplete
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Highlights

    1. Physics of Living Systems
    Illustration of tsetse fly mouthparts and extremities. Image credit: Ryan Kissinger (CC BY 4.0)

    The exquisite mechanics of a tsetse bite

    Katelyn Fealy, Álvaro Acosta-Serrano
    1. Physics of Living Systems
    Cell-Matrix Universe. Image credit: Seungkuk Ahn CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

    Building bundles by the numbers

    Christian Vanhille-Campos, Anđela Šarić
    1. Genetics and Genomics
    2. Physics of Living Systems

    Raman Spectroscopy: Probing the proteome

    Wei-Hsiang Lin, Chia-Liang Cheng

Senior editors

  1. Felix Campelo
    Pompeu Fabra University, Spain
  2. Aleksandra Walczak
    Ecole Normale Superieure, France
  3. See more editors