Many paths to an angry bird
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Jun-2025 18:10 ET (22-Jun-2025 22:10 GMT/UTC)
African sleeping sickness is a serious infection caused by a parasitic microbe called Trypanosoma brucei.
Using an imaging technique called cryo-electron microscopy along with artificial intelligence, a team at the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA mapped the hairlike flagellum that the microbe uses to propel itself, identifying 154 composite proteins.
Findings revealed that the parasite moves in a distinctive style, similar to a dragon boat, with unique adaptations that are essential to its ability to infect its hosts.