Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37788707›Full record

ArticleOpen biology2023

Cooperative motility, force generation and mechanosensing in a foraging non-photosynthetic diatom.

Peng Zheng, Kayo Kumadaki, Christopher Quek, Zeng Hao Lim, Yonatan Ashenafi, Zhi Ting Yip, Jay Newby, Andrew J Alverson, Yan Jie, Gregory Jedd

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Open biology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Dynamic switching of cell-substrate contact sites allows gliding diatoms to modulate the curvature of their paths.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Functional morphology of gliding motility in benthic diatoms.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Peng ZhengTemasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 117604 Singapore.
Kayo KumadakiDepartment of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117542 Singapore.
Christopher QuekTemasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 117604 Singapore.
Zeng Hao LimTemasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 117604 Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-6237-062X
Yonatan AshenafiDepartment of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G1.
Zhi Ting YipDepartment of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 117543 Singapore, Singapore.
Jay NewbyDepartment of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G1.ORCID 0000-0001-9988-2020
Andrew J AlversonDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, SCEN 601, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1241-2654
Yan JieDepartment of Physics, National University of Singapore, 117542 Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-8555-7291
Gregory JeddTemasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 117604 Singapore.ORCID 0000-0002-5428-3873
Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory · SGNational University of Singapore · SGUniversity of Alberta · CAUniversity of Arkansas at Fayetteville · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Diatoms are ancestrally photosynthetic microalgae. However, some underwent a major evolutionary transition, losing photosynthesis to become obligate heterotrophs. The molecular and physiological basis for this transition is unclear. Here, we isolate and characterize new strains of non-photosynthetic diatoms from the coastal waters of Singapore. These diatoms occupy diverse ecological niches and display glucose-mediated catabolite repression, a classical feature of bacterial and fungal heterotrophs. Live-cell imaging reveals deposition of secreted extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Diatoms moving on pre-existing EPS trails (runners) move faster than those laying new trails (blazers). This leads to cell-to-cell coupling where runners can push blazers to make them move faster. Calibrated micropipettes measure substantial single-cell pushing forces, which are consistent with high-order myosin motor cooperativity. Collisions that impede forward motion induce reversal, revealing navigation-related force sensing. Together, these data identify aspects of metabolism and motility that are likely to promote and underpin diatom heterotrophy.

Indexed as

DiatomsBacteriaEcosystemExtracellular Polymeric Substance MatrixPhotosynthesisforce generationgliding motilityheterotrophymechanosensingnon-photosynthetic diatom

Identifiers

PMID37788707
PMCPMC10547550
OpenAlexW4387297998

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.