by Miao Pan, Matthew P. Neilson, Alexander M. Grunfeld, Phillip Cruz, Xi Wen, Robert H. Insall, Tian Jin

Phagocytes locate microorganisms via chemotaxis and then consume them using phagocytosis. Dictyostelium amoebas are stereotypical phagocytes that prey on diverse bacteria using both processes. However, as typical phagocytic receptors, such as complement receptors or Fcγ receptors, have not been found in Dictyostelium, it remains mysterious how these cells recognize bacteria. Here, we show that a single G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), folic acid receptor 1 (fAR1), simultaneously recognizes the chemoattractant folate and the phagocytic cue lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major component of bacterial surfaces. Cells lacking fAR1 or its cognate G-proteins are defective in chemotaxis toward folate and phagocytosis of Klebsiella aerogenes. Computational simulations combined with experiments show that responses associated with chemotaxis can also promote engulfment of particles coated with chemoattractants. Finally, the extracellular Venus-Flytrap (VFT) domain of fAR1 acts as the binding site for both folate and LPS. Thus, fAR1 represents a new member of the pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and mediates signaling from both bacterial surfaces and diffusible chemoattractants to reorganize actin for chemotaxis and phagocytosis.

The three-body problem, which determines how objects orbit each other in space, is notoriously difficult to solve. Now there are 231 new valid orbits

Pluto’s heart-shaped ice plain is full of nitrogen, which hints that the tiny world is made from a billion comets and could have a buried ocean

The General Data Protection Regulation might not prove highly effective, but at least it tries to rein in the tech giants and put privacy above profit

Some people, who have been minimally conscious for years, could respond to questions from their loved ones for the first time after treatment with electricity

A study of sweaty T-shirts suggests dentists can smell when someone is anxious, and it makes them more likely to make mistakes and damage neighbouring teeth

Lava is entering the ocean off Hawaii from a third flow, marking the third week of a volcanic eruption that has opened up nearly two dozen vents,

Two common US fish have evolved different body shapes to help them survive in the fast-moving streams in built-up areas

by Huizhong Feng, Brent R. Stockwell

Ferroptosis is a cell death process driven by damage to cell membranes and linked to numerous human diseases. Ferroptosis is caused by loss of activity of the key enzyme that is tasked with repairing oxidative damage to cell membranes—glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). GPX4 normally removes the dangerous products of iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, protecting cell membranes from this type of damage; when GPX4 fails, ferroptosis ensues. Ferroptosis is distinct from apoptosis, necroptosis, necrosis, and other modes of cell death. Several key mysteries regarding how cells die during ferroptosis remain unsolved. First, the drivers of lipid peroxidation are not yet clear. Second, the subcellular location of lethal lipid peroxides remains an outstanding question. Finally, how exactly lipid peroxidation leads to cell death is an unsolved mystery. Answers to these questions will provide insights into the mechanisms of ferroptotic cell death and associated human diseases, as well as new therapeutic strategies for such diseases.

The asteroid that struck Earth 66 million years ago caused dramatic climate change, which could mean we are underestimating how much the planet will warm in the coming centuries

An autonomous Uber car spotted Elaine Herzberg about six seconds before fatally hitting her but did not stop because the emergency brakes were disabled, US federal investigators said today

The US Air Force is developing bulletproof batteries to replace traditional armour. They are loaded with silica nanoparticles that become rigid upon impact

From bag bans to bacterial mulchers, many solutions are touted for the plastic waste crisis. Find out which work – and which don't – in our definitive guide

From bag bans to bacterial mulchers, many solutions are touted for the plastic waste crisis. Find out which work – and which don't – in our definitive guide

A rocket engine propelled by electromagnetic waves grabbed headlines, but new tests find the EM drive may actually be driven by Earth’s magnetic field

From purple sea snail milk to arsenic green and a yellow made from urine, we’ve gone to bizarre lengths in our millennia-long quest to create the most vibrant shades

From purple sea snail milk to arsenic green and a yellow made from urine, we’ve gone to bizarre lengths in our millennia-long quest to create the most vibrant shades

Some chimpanzee populations gained useful DNA from interbreeding with bonobos, and one may even have become more gentle and “bonobo-like” in its brain structure and behaviour

Some chimpanzee populations gained useful DNA from interbreeding with bonobos, and one may even have become more gentle and “bonobo-like” in its brain structure and behaviour

Some chimpanzee populations gained useful DNA from interbreeding with bonobos, and one may even have become more gentle and “bonobo-like” in its brain structure and behaviour