Saccharomyces cerevisiae.WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, MASUR
Yeast cells aren’t normally magnetic, but a little genetic engineering can make them thralls to a magnetic field. The research, published today (February 28) in PLoS Biology, suggests that manipulations of a few widely expressed genes could be enough to get any cell magnetized, which could be a powerful tool for both research and medicine.
“It’s a very interesting study,” said Xiaoping Hu, a biomedical engineer who investigates the potential for magnetizing mammalian cells as a possible marker for MRI detection at Emory University in Atlanta. Hu, who did not participate in the study, added that this work appears to be the first attempt to magnetize yeast, and may “give guidance” to others working to induce magnetism in eukaryotic cells.
Though some bacteria create magnetic ...
