Erik Jorgensen, scientific director of the Brain Institute at the University of Utah, said protons are pumped out of a round worm's gut by one kind of protein and then bind to receptor proteins on neighboring muscles, making the muscles contract so the worm defecates.

"There are relatively few molecules that serve as neurotransmitters to trigger electrical changes in cells. Protons are the only new members of this group in nearly 20 years," Jorgensen said Wednesday in a release.

The findings are published in the journal Cell.
Previous research indicated the brains of humans and mice also have proton pumps and receptors to move protons between cells. The new study raises the possibility those protons may be transmitting nerve signals in the brain, the researchers said.

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