Pub Date : 2025-12-03DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03116-z
Shai Tsesses, Aviv Karnieli
Controlling topological photonic quasiparticles is a prerequisite for their implementation in devices. Now, their precise manipulation has been demonstrated using synthetic gauge fields based on the manipulation of the material’s dielectric index.
{"title":"Electrically tuned light topology","authors":"Shai Tsesses, Aviv Karnieli","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03116-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03116-z","url":null,"abstract":"Controlling topological photonic quasiparticles is a prerequisite for their implementation in devices. Now, their precise manipulation has been demonstrated using synthetic gauge fields based on the manipulation of the material’s dielectric index.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 12","pages":"1869-1870"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145664606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03101-6
Henrik Weyer, Tobias A. Roth, Erwin Frey
For cellular functions such as division and polarization, protein pattern formation driven by NTPase cycles is a central spatial control strategy. Operating far from equilibrium, no general theory links microscopic reaction networks and parameters to the pattern type and dynamics in these protein systems. Here we discover a generic mechanism giving rise to an effective interfacial tension organizing the macroscopic structure of non-equilibrium steady-state patterns. Namely, maintaining protein-density interfaces by cyclic protein attachment and detachment produces curvature-dependent protein redistribution, which straightens the interface. We develop a non-equilibrium Neumann angle law and Plateau vertex conditions for interface junctions and mesh patterns, thus introducing the concepts of ‘Turing mixtures’ and ‘Turing foams’. In contrast to liquid foams and mixtures, these non-equilibrium patterns can select an intrinsic wavelength by interrupting an equilibrium-like coarsening process. Data from in vitro experiments with the Escherichia coli Min protein system verify the vertex conditions and support the wavelength dynamics. Our study shows how interface laws with correspondence to thermodynamic relations can arise from distinct physical processes in active systems. It allows the design of specific pattern morphologies with potential applications as spatial control strategies in synthetic cells. Protein patterns enable cellular processes. A general theory now identifies a non-equilibrium mechanism that generates an effective interfacial tension, shaping the geometry and intrinsic length scales of steady-state protein patterns.
{"title":"Protein pattern morphology and dynamics emerging from effective interfacial tension","authors":"Henrik Weyer, Tobias A. Roth, Erwin Frey","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03101-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03101-6","url":null,"abstract":"For cellular functions such as division and polarization, protein pattern formation driven by NTPase cycles is a central spatial control strategy. Operating far from equilibrium, no general theory links microscopic reaction networks and parameters to the pattern type and dynamics in these protein systems. Here we discover a generic mechanism giving rise to an effective interfacial tension organizing the macroscopic structure of non-equilibrium steady-state patterns. Namely, maintaining protein-density interfaces by cyclic protein attachment and detachment produces curvature-dependent protein redistribution, which straightens the interface. We develop a non-equilibrium Neumann angle law and Plateau vertex conditions for interface junctions and mesh patterns, thus introducing the concepts of ‘Turing mixtures’ and ‘Turing foams’. In contrast to liquid foams and mixtures, these non-equilibrium patterns can select an intrinsic wavelength by interrupting an equilibrium-like coarsening process. Data from in vitro experiments with the Escherichia coli Min protein system verify the vertex conditions and support the wavelength dynamics. Our study shows how interface laws with correspondence to thermodynamic relations can arise from distinct physical processes in active systems. It allows the design of specific pattern morphologies with potential applications as spatial control strategies in synthetic cells. Protein patterns enable cellular processes. A general theory now identifies a non-equilibrium mechanism that generates an effective interfacial tension, shaping the geometry and intrinsic length scales of steady-state protein patterns.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"94-102"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-03101-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145664607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03098-y
Heng Wang, Yuying Zhu, Zhonghua Bai, Zhaozheng Lyu, Jiangang Yang, Lin Zhao, X. J. Zhou, Qi-Kun Xue, Ding Zhang
The superconducting diode is a device that allows supercurrent to flow in one direction but not the other. Usually, the state that does not allow supercurrent has no Cooper pairs. Here we report a quantized version of the superconducting diode that operates solely between Cooper-paired states. This type of quantum superconducting diode takes advantage of quantized Shapiro steps for digitized output. The device consists of twisted high-temperature cuprate superconductors and exhibits the following characteristics. First, we show that a non-reciprocal diode behaviour can be initiated by training with current pulses without applying an external magnetic field. Then, we demonstrate perfect diode efficiency under microwave irradiation above liquid-nitrogen temperature. Lastly, the quantized nature of the output offers high resilience against input noise. These features open up opportunities to develop practical dissipationless quantum circuits. A device for rectifying supercurrents at liquid-nitrogen temperature with high efficiency is demonstrated. This is a practical step towards implementing dissipationless electronics.
{"title":"Quantum superconducting diode effect with perfect efficiency above liquid-nitrogen temperature","authors":"Heng Wang, Yuying Zhu, Zhonghua Bai, Zhaozheng Lyu, Jiangang Yang, Lin Zhao, X. J. Zhou, Qi-Kun Xue, Ding Zhang","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03098-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03098-y","url":null,"abstract":"The superconducting diode is a device that allows supercurrent to flow in one direction but not the other. Usually, the state that does not allow supercurrent has no Cooper pairs. Here we report a quantized version of the superconducting diode that operates solely between Cooper-paired states. This type of quantum superconducting diode takes advantage of quantized Shapiro steps for digitized output. The device consists of twisted high-temperature cuprate superconductors and exhibits the following characteristics. First, we show that a non-reciprocal diode behaviour can be initiated by training with current pulses without applying an external magnetic field. Then, we demonstrate perfect diode efficiency under microwave irradiation above liquid-nitrogen temperature. Lastly, the quantized nature of the output offers high resilience against input noise. These features open up opportunities to develop practical dissipationless quantum circuits. A device for rectifying supercurrents at liquid-nitrogen temperature with high efficiency is demonstrated. This is a practical step towards implementing dissipationless electronics.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"47-53"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145611513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03104-3
Adding momentum mixing in a controllable way to the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model is shown to recover the physics of the Hubbard model, the starting point for understanding Mott physics. The scheme converges as the inverse square of the number of steps, and, as each step is tractable, minimal computational resources are required.
{"title":"Momentum mixing solves the Mott problem","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03104-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03104-3","url":null,"abstract":"Adding momentum mixing in a controllable way to the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model is shown to recover the physics of the Hubbard model, the starting point for understanding Mott physics. The scheme converges as the inverse square of the number of steps, and, as each step is tractable, minimal computational resources are required.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"17-18"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145611518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-27DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03095-1
Peizhi Mai, Jinchao Zhao, Gaurav Tenkila, Nico A. Hackner, Dhruv Kush, Derek Pan, Philip W. Phillips
The Hubbard model is a standard theoretical tool for studying materials with strong electron–electron interactions, such as cuprate superconductors. Unfortunately, interaction-driven phenomena, such as a transition into the strongly correlated Mott insulator phase, are difficult to treat with established theoretical techniques. However, the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model displays similar Mott physics. Here we show how the Hatsugai–Kohmoto model can be deformed continuously into the Hubbard model. The trick is to systematically reintroduce all the momentum mixing that the original Hatsugai–Kohmoto model omits. This can be accomplished by grouping n momenta into a cell and hybridizing them, resulting in the momentum-mixing Hatsugai–Kohmoto model. We recover the Bethe ansatz ground-state energy of the one-dimensional Hubbard model to within 1% from only ten mixed momenta. Overall, the convergence scales as 1/n2 as opposed to the inverse linear behaviour of standard finite-cluster techniques. Our results for a square lattice reproduce all the known features from state-of-the-art simulations also with only a few mixed momenta. Consequently, we believe that the momentum-mixing Hatsugai–Kohmoto model offers an alternative tool for strongly correlated quantum matter. The Hubbard model describes the physics of strongly correlated electron systems, but is difficult to solve. Now, a scheme to systematically and efficiently relate the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model to the Hubbard model has been identified.
{"title":"Twisting the Hubbard model into the momentum-mixing Hatsugai–Kohmoto model","authors":"Peizhi Mai, Jinchao Zhao, Gaurav Tenkila, Nico A. Hackner, Dhruv Kush, Derek Pan, Philip W. Phillips","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03095-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03095-1","url":null,"abstract":"The Hubbard model is a standard theoretical tool for studying materials with strong electron–electron interactions, such as cuprate superconductors. Unfortunately, interaction-driven phenomena, such as a transition into the strongly correlated Mott insulator phase, are difficult to treat with established theoretical techniques. However, the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model displays similar Mott physics. Here we show how the Hatsugai–Kohmoto model can be deformed continuously into the Hubbard model. The trick is to systematically reintroduce all the momentum mixing that the original Hatsugai–Kohmoto model omits. This can be accomplished by grouping n momenta into a cell and hybridizing them, resulting in the momentum-mixing Hatsugai–Kohmoto model. We recover the Bethe ansatz ground-state energy of the one-dimensional Hubbard model to within 1% from only ten mixed momenta. Overall, the convergence scales as 1/n2 as opposed to the inverse linear behaviour of standard finite-cluster techniques. Our results for a square lattice reproduce all the known features from state-of-the-art simulations also with only a few mixed momenta. Consequently, we believe that the momentum-mixing Hatsugai–Kohmoto model offers an alternative tool for strongly correlated quantum matter. The Hubbard model describes the physics of strongly correlated electron systems, but is difficult to solve. Now, a scheme to systematically and efficiently relate the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model to the Hubbard model has been identified.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"81-87"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145608805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03102-5
Shiro Tamiya, Masato Koashi, Hayata Yamasaki
A major challenge in fault-tolerant quantum computation is to reduce both the space overhead, that is, the large number of physical qubits per logical qubit, and the time overhead, that is, the long physical gate sequences needed to implement a logical gate. Here we prove that a protocol using non-vanishing-rate quantum low-density parity-check (QLDPC) codes, combined with concatenated Steane codes, achieves constant space overhead and polylogarithmic time overhead, even when accounting for the required classical processing. This protocol offers an improvement over existing constant-space-overhead protocols. To prove our result, we develop a technique that we call partial circuit reduction, which enables error analysis for the entire fault-tolerant circuit by examining smaller parts composed of a few gadgets. With this approach, we resolve a logical gap in the existing arguments for the threshold theorem for the constant-space-overhead protocol with QLDPC codes and complete its proof. Our work establishes that the QLDPC-code-based approach can realize fault-tolerant quantum computation with a negligibly small slowdown and a bounded overhead of physical qubits. Quantum low-density parity-check codes are anticipated to be an efficient approach to quantum error correction. Now it has been proven that these codes can be time-efficient with only a constant overhead in the required number of qubits.
{"title":"Fault-tolerant quantum computation with polylogarithmic time and constant space overheads","authors":"Shiro Tamiya, Masato Koashi, Hayata Yamasaki","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03102-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03102-5","url":null,"abstract":"A major challenge in fault-tolerant quantum computation is to reduce both the space overhead, that is, the large number of physical qubits per logical qubit, and the time overhead, that is, the long physical gate sequences needed to implement a logical gate. Here we prove that a protocol using non-vanishing-rate quantum low-density parity-check (QLDPC) codes, combined with concatenated Steane codes, achieves constant space overhead and polylogarithmic time overhead, even when accounting for the required classical processing. This protocol offers an improvement over existing constant-space-overhead protocols. To prove our result, we develop a technique that we call partial circuit reduction, which enables error analysis for the entire fault-tolerant circuit by examining smaller parts composed of a few gadgets. With this approach, we resolve a logical gap in the existing arguments for the threshold theorem for the constant-space-overhead protocol with QLDPC codes and complete its proof. Our work establishes that the QLDPC-code-based approach can realize fault-tolerant quantum computation with a negligibly small slowdown and a bounded overhead of physical qubits. Quantum low-density parity-check codes are anticipated to be an efficient approach to quantum error correction. Now it has been proven that these codes can be time-efficient with only a constant overhead in the required number of qubits.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"27-32"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-03102-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145599385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03086-2
Francesco A. Mele, Antonio A. Mele, Lennart Bittel, Jens Eisert, Vittorio Giovannetti, Ludovico Lami, Lorenzo Leone, Salvatore F. E. Oliviero
Quantum measurements are probabilistic and, in general, provide only partial information about the underlying quantum state. Obtaining a full classical description of an unknown quantum state requires the analysis of several different measurements, a task known as quantum-state tomography. Here we analyse the ultimate achievable performance in the tomography of continuous-variable systems, such as bosonic and quantum optical systems. We prove that tomography of these systems is extremely inefficient in terms of time resources, much more so than tomography of finite-dimensional systems such as qubits. Not only does the minimum number of state copies needed for tomography scale exponentially with the number of modes, but, even for low-energy states, it also scales unfavourably with the trace-distance error between the original state and its estimated classical description. On a more positive note, we prove that the tomography of Gaussian states is efficient by establishing a bound on the trace-distance error made when approximating a Gaussian state from knowledge of the first and second moments within a specified error bound. Last, we demonstrate that the tomography of non-Gaussian states prepared through Gaussian unitaries and a few local non-Gaussian evolutions is efficient and experimentally feasible. Finding a classical description of a quantum state can require resource-intensive tomography protocols. It has now been shown that, for bosonic systems, tomography is extremely inefficient in general, but can be done efficiently for some useful states.
{"title":"Learning quantum states of continuous-variable systems","authors":"Francesco A. Mele, Antonio A. Mele, Lennart Bittel, Jens Eisert, Vittorio Giovannetti, Ludovico Lami, Lorenzo Leone, Salvatore F. E. Oliviero","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03086-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03086-2","url":null,"abstract":"Quantum measurements are probabilistic and, in general, provide only partial information about the underlying quantum state. Obtaining a full classical description of an unknown quantum state requires the analysis of several different measurements, a task known as quantum-state tomography. Here we analyse the ultimate achievable performance in the tomography of continuous-variable systems, such as bosonic and quantum optical systems. We prove that tomography of these systems is extremely inefficient in terms of time resources, much more so than tomography of finite-dimensional systems such as qubits. Not only does the minimum number of state copies needed for tomography scale exponentially with the number of modes, but, even for low-energy states, it also scales unfavourably with the trace-distance error between the original state and its estimated classical description. On a more positive note, we prove that the tomography of Gaussian states is efficient by establishing a bound on the trace-distance error made when approximating a Gaussian state from knowledge of the first and second moments within a specified error bound. Last, we demonstrate that the tomography of non-Gaussian states prepared through Gaussian unitaries and a few local non-Gaussian evolutions is efficient and experimentally feasible. Finding a classical description of a quantum state can require resource-intensive tomography protocols. It has now been shown that, for bosonic systems, tomography is extremely inefficient in general, but can be done efficiently for some useful states.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 12","pages":"2002-2008"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-03086-2.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145599383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03109-y
Khai That Ton, Chang Xu, Ioannis Ioannidis, Lucas Schneider, Thore Posske, Roland Wiesendanger, Dirk K. Morr, Jens Wiebe
Probing spatially confined quantum states from afar—a long-sought goal to minimize external interference—has been proposed to be feasible in condensed-matter systems through the coherent projection of the state. This can be achieved by engineering the eigenstates of the electron sea that surrounds the quantum state using cages built atom by atom, the so-called quantum corrals. However, the demonstration of the coherent nature of the projection and manipulation of its quantum composition are still important goals. Here we show this for the coherent projection of a Yu–Shiba–Rusinov quantum state that is induced by a magnetic impurity, using the eigenmodes of corrals on the surface of a superconductor. This enables us to manipulate the particle–hole composition of the projected state by tuning the corral eigenmodes through the Fermi energy. Our results demonstrate a controlled non-local method for the detection of magnet–superconductor hybrid quantum states. Coherently projecting a quantum state may allow it to be probed from a distance. This is now demonstrated for a Yu–Shiba–Rusinov state using a quantum corral.
{"title":"Non-local detection of coherent Yu–Shiba–Rusinov quantum projections","authors":"Khai That Ton, Chang Xu, Ioannis Ioannidis, Lucas Schneider, Thore Posske, Roland Wiesendanger, Dirk K. Morr, Jens Wiebe","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03109-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03109-y","url":null,"abstract":"Probing spatially confined quantum states from afar—a long-sought goal to minimize external interference—has been proposed to be feasible in condensed-matter systems through the coherent projection of the state. This can be achieved by engineering the eigenstates of the electron sea that surrounds the quantum state using cages built atom by atom, the so-called quantum corrals. However, the demonstration of the coherent nature of the projection and manipulation of its quantum composition are still important goals. Here we show this for the coherent projection of a Yu–Shiba–Rusinov quantum state that is induced by a magnetic impurity, using the eigenmodes of corrals on the surface of a superconductor. This enables us to manipulate the particle–hole composition of the projected state by tuning the corral eigenmodes through the Fermi energy. Our results demonstrate a controlled non-local method for the detection of magnet–superconductor hybrid quantum states. Coherently projecting a quantum state may allow it to be probed from a distance. This is now demonstrated for a Yu–Shiba–Rusinov state using a quantum corral.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"54-60"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-03109-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145599905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-24DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03096-0
Leon Lettermann, Mirko Singer, Smilla Steinbrück, Falko Ziebert, Sachie Kanatani, Photini Sinnis, Friedrich Frischknecht, Ulrich S. Schwarz
Malaria parasites are injected by female mosquitoes into the skin of the vertebrate host and start to quickly move on helical trajectories, making them a medically highly relevant model system of active chiral particles. Here we find that these parasites always move on right-handed helices by analysing their three-dimensional motion in synthetic hydrogels. Furthermore, they transition to clockwise circular motion when they reach a two-dimensional substrate, which is the opposite direction to when circling on a two-dimensional substrate in a medium. This suggests that malaria parasites have evolved chirality as a means to control their transitions between three-dimensional and two-dimensional environments. Using a sandwich assay, we show that chirality also determines their transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional motion. Combining a theory for gliding motility with two-sided traction force and super-resolution microscopies, we find that the most probable basis for the observed macroscopic chirality in both two and three dimensions is the asymmetric release of adhesion molecules at the apical polar ring. Our results suggest that the slender forms of the malaria parasites that start an infection have evolved very strong chirality because they have to switch between different physical environments. Malaria parasites move on helical trajectories when infecting their hosts. Now it is shown that they use right-handed chirality to control their motion patterns, and that this chirality is linked to the way they release adhesion molecules.
{"title":"Chirality of malaria parasites determines their motion patterns","authors":"Leon Lettermann, Mirko Singer, Smilla Steinbrück, Falko Ziebert, Sachie Kanatani, Photini Sinnis, Friedrich Frischknecht, Ulrich S. Schwarz","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03096-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03096-0","url":null,"abstract":"Malaria parasites are injected by female mosquitoes into the skin of the vertebrate host and start to quickly move on helical trajectories, making them a medically highly relevant model system of active chiral particles. Here we find that these parasites always move on right-handed helices by analysing their three-dimensional motion in synthetic hydrogels. Furthermore, they transition to clockwise circular motion when they reach a two-dimensional substrate, which is the opposite direction to when circling on a two-dimensional substrate in a medium. This suggests that malaria parasites have evolved chirality as a means to control their transitions between three-dimensional and two-dimensional environments. Using a sandwich assay, we show that chirality also determines their transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional motion. Combining a theory for gliding motility with two-sided traction force and super-resolution microscopies, we find that the most probable basis for the observed macroscopic chirality in both two and three dimensions is the asymmetric release of adhesion molecules at the apical polar ring. Our results suggest that the slender forms of the malaria parasites that start an infection have evolved very strong chirality because they have to switch between different physical environments. Malaria parasites move on helical trajectories when infecting their hosts. Now it is shown that they use right-handed chirality to control their motion patterns, and that this chirality is linked to the way they release adhesion molecules.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"112-122"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145582889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-24DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03100-7
Kai Du, Daegeun Jo, Xianghan Xu, Fei-Ting Huang, Ming-Hao Lee, Ming-Wen Chu, Kefeng Wang, Xiaoyu Guo, Liuyan Zhao, David Vanderbilt, Hyun-Woo Lee, Sang-Wook Cheong
Breaking spatial-inversion or time-reversal symmetry in solids leads to transverse electromagnetic effects such as the anomalous Hall effect, Faraday rotation, non-reciprocal directional dichroism and off-diagonal linear magnetoelectricity. These are all tied to the framework of magnetic toroidal invariance. Here we introduce a distinct class of transverse electromagnetic responses that arise from electric toroidal invariance in ferro-rotational systems that preserve both inversion and time-reversal symmetries. It is different from that governed by magnetic toroidal invariance. We demonstrate a high-order off-diagonal magnetic susceptibility of ferro-rotational domains and a reduced linear diagonal magnetic susceptibility at these domain walls in doped ilmenite FeTiO3. Our results reveal the presence of anomalous transverse susceptibilities in ferro-rotational materials with spontaneous electric toroidal moments. Therefore, our findings illustrate emergent functionalities of ferro-rotational materials. Magnetic toroidal invariance generates transverse electromagnetic effects in materials with broken symmetries. Now a distinct magnetic response is shown to emerge in ferro-rotational systems in which both inversion and time-reversal symmetries are preserved.
{"title":"Electric toroidal invariance generates distinct transverse electromagnetic responses","authors":"Kai Du, Daegeun Jo, Xianghan Xu, Fei-Ting Huang, Ming-Hao Lee, Ming-Wen Chu, Kefeng Wang, Xiaoyu Guo, Liuyan Zhao, David Vanderbilt, Hyun-Woo Lee, Sang-Wook Cheong","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03100-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03100-7","url":null,"abstract":"Breaking spatial-inversion or time-reversal symmetry in solids leads to transverse electromagnetic effects such as the anomalous Hall effect, Faraday rotation, non-reciprocal directional dichroism and off-diagonal linear magnetoelectricity. These are all tied to the framework of magnetic toroidal invariance. Here we introduce a distinct class of transverse electromagnetic responses that arise from electric toroidal invariance in ferro-rotational systems that preserve both inversion and time-reversal symmetries. It is different from that governed by magnetic toroidal invariance. We demonstrate a high-order off-diagonal magnetic susceptibility of ferro-rotational domains and a reduced linear diagonal magnetic susceptibility at these domain walls in doped ilmenite FeTiO3. Our results reveal the presence of anomalous transverse susceptibilities in ferro-rotational materials with spontaneous electric toroidal moments. Therefore, our findings illustrate emergent functionalities of ferro-rotational materials. Magnetic toroidal invariance generates transverse electromagnetic effects in materials with broken symmetries. Now a distinct magnetic response is shown to emerge in ferro-rotational systems in which both inversion and time-reversal symmetries are preserved.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"22 1","pages":"61-67"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145582890","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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