Yuhei O. Tahara

Eukaryotes' closest relatives are internally simple syntrophic archaea

This study isolates two Hodarchaeales strains, closely related to the eukaryotic common ancestor, revealing their syntrophic, anaerobic, and oxygen-tolerant physiology and genomic features.

Haloplasma MreB reconstitution in a minimal synthetic bacterium reveals orthogonal force directions underlying distinct Mollicute motility systems

The paper expresses MreB isoforms from Haloplasma in a synthetic bacterium to study motility, finding distinct movement patterns and force directions.

FtsZ of wall-less bacteria forms ring-like structures

This study investigates the function of FtsZ in a cell wall-less bacterium, showing that SeFtsZ forms ring-like structures in cell wall-less cells, suggesting a role in cell division independent of cell wall synthesis.

Visualization of peptidoglycan layer isolated from gliding diderm bacteria, Flavobacterium johnsoniae and Myxococcus xanthus, by quick-freeze deep-etch replica electron microscopy

This study visualizes peptidoglycan layers in gliding diderm bacteria using electron microscopy, revealing structural differences that may explain force transmission during locomotion.

Light-guided actin polymerization drives directed motility in protocells

This study demonstrates light-controlled actin polymerization in protocells, enabling directed motility and revealing the role of branched and linear actin networks in membrane protrusion.

Reconstitution of minimal motility system based on Spiroplasma swimming by expressing two bacterial actins in synthetic minimal bacterium

The paper demonstrates that expressing two bacterial actins in a synthetic minimal bacterium enables swimming motility, suggesting that bacterial actins can generate helical cell shapes and movement.