‘Chirality gene’ puts life in a twist

By James Urquhart2018-11-23T13:30:00

The molecular motor Myosin 1D creates asymmetry at all levels, from the movement of actin molecules (red and green filaments) to respiratory trachea (white tube-like structures), to the organism itself (here a Drosophila larva).

Source: © Gaëlle Lebreton; photo editing by Stéphane Noselli / iBV / CNRS

Simple molecular interactions may underpin the asymmetry of biological systems

Researchers have found that asymmetries in living organisms can result from a domino effect — from the level of biomolecules all the way up to whole organs and even movement — that’s triggered by a single gene. The discovery sheds light on the origins of asymmetry in biological systems, suggesting that this fundamental property could have evolved simply and quickly.