Insertion sequence (IS) elements are transposable regions of DNA present in a majority of bacterial genomes. It is hypothesized that differences in distributions of IS elements across bacterial strain...

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 03 February 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02275-wA near-complete model for the complex structure of the Campylobacter jejuni flagellar motor revealed different mechanisms of assembly, activation and stability from the simple ‘classical’ flagellar model. Some of the additional motor structures in C. jejuni are conserved and only found in species of Campylobacterota, whose ancestor likely co-opted type IV pilus components from bacteria in the deep ocean.

Some microbes can squeeze through tight spaces by wrapping themselves in their flagellum—the tail-like structure they use to move. Also, how adorable are those little guys?

A frame-by-frame assessment of actions by Alex Pretti and the two officers who fired 10 times shows how lethal force came to be used against a target who didn’t pose a threat.