Scientists uncover mystery of how snail shells coil to the right or to the left

Scientists find gene that makes some snails’ shells coil left; the same species that twist their genitals to mate

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have made groundbreaking discoveries regarding Euhadra snails and their shell coiling. Their study identifies a myosin-encoding gene as crucial in determining the direction of the shell's coiling. Interestingly, both left- and right-coiling snails develop without any embryo-related issues. This research not only illuminates the unique chirality in snails but also opens doors to understanding variable c…

How "mirror-image" snails could unlock secrets of human asymmetry

A small genetic difference can turn a snail into the mirror image of another. Now, researchers studying Japanese land snails have identified a gene that helps determine whether their shells coil clockwise or counterclockwise, offering new clues into how animals develop their left and right sides. The study, led by researchers at the University of Nottingham and Tohoku University in Japan, examined wild Euhadra snails to understand the biological…

Scientists uncover mystery of how snail shells coil to the right or to the left

Scientists have discovered a gene that determines whether Japanese snails develop shells that are left- or right-coiling—with implications for understanding the underlying handedness of our own bodies. The researchers from the University of Nottingham and Tohoku University studied wild Euhadra snails in Japan to understand what makes one snail a mirror image of another.