Tiny amoebas move faster when carrying cargo than without

‘Delivery trucks’ modeled after the microbes could help scientists target disease in the body

microscope image of tiny Dictyostelium discoideum amoebas shown as dots forming larger blobs

Single-cell Dictyostelium discoideum amoebas (small dots) gather together to form large, multicellular blobs. The microbes can travel while carrying cargo, making them useful for studying precision medicine.

Bruno in Columbus/Wikimedia Commons

Microbes enlisted to carry tiny loads travel faster with cargo attached than on their own.