Physics of Living Systems

Latest articles

1. 1. Cell Biology
   2. Physics of Living Systems

   Microneedle manipulation of the mammalian spindle reveals specialized, short-lived reinforcement near chromosomes

   Pooja Suresh et al.

   Directly exerting force on the mammalian spindle reveals local and short-lived reinforcement in the spindle center, well-suited to preserve connections to chromosomes over seconds and yet allow remodeling over minutes.
2. 1. Physics of Living Systems

   Sperm chemotaxis is driven by the slope of the chemoattractant concentration field

   Héctor Vicente Ramírez-Gómez et al.

   The slope of the chemoattractant concentration gradient is a driving force for sperm chemotaxis, by coordinating the entrainment of information flow between sensing, signaling and motility.
3. 1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
   2. Physics of Living Systems

   Delayed antibiotic exposure induces population collapse in enterococcal communities with drug-resistant subpopulations

   Kelsey M Hallinen et al.
4. 1. Microbiology and Infectious Disease
   2. Physics of Living Systems

   The transpeptidase PBP2 governs initial localization and activity of the major cell-wall synthesis machinery in E. coli

   Gizem Özbaykal et al.

   For initiation of cell-wall insertion, the cross-linking enzyme PBP2 stably binds to a component of the cell envelope that is different from MreB filaments.
5. 1. Physics of Living Systems

   Stochastic yield catastrophes and robustness in self-assembly

   Florian M Gartner et al.

   Fluctuations in the availability of particles for binding can completely jeopardize yield in heterogeneous self-assembly.
6. 1. Physics of Living Systems

   Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles

   Martin Lenz

   Quantitative, experimentally testable predictions allow discrimination between contraction mechanisms in disordered actomyosin and microtubule/motor bundles.
7. 1. Physics of Living Systems

   Animal Behavior: Whale breaching says it loud and clear

   Alexander J Werth, Charles L Lemon

   A whale leaping above the surface expends an enormous amount of energy, displaying its health and strength to peers and potential mates.
8. 1. Physics of Living Systems

   Energetic and physical limitations on the breaching performance of large whales

   Paolo S Segre et al.

   Muscle power-generating capabilities, and not energetic limitations, limit the breaching abilities of the largest whales.
9. 1. Physics of Living Systems

   Overtone focusing in biphonic tuvan throat singing

   Christopher Bergevin et al.

   In light of the mysteries underlying the biphonic nature of Tuvan throat song, information from multiple modalities is combined to explain how this remarkable phenomenon is achieved biomechanically.
10. 1. Physics of Living Systems
    2. Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics

    High-throughput, single-particle tracking reveals nested membrane domains that dictate KRas^G12D diffusion and trafficking

    Yerim Lee et al.

    The nanoscopic landscape of the membrane has a direct impact on the spatiotemporal, and likely also the signaling, dynamics of Ras proteins.