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Scalable eQTL mapping from pollen

April 25, 2025

Scalable eQTL mapping from pollen

Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) mapping studies are limited by the requirement to study a large number of individuals. Matthew Parker, Korbinian Schneeberger and colleagues develop a method to scale up eQTL studies by performing single-nucleus RNA-sequencing of Arabidopsis thaliana pollen.

Image credit: pbio.3003085

PLOS Biologue

Community blog for PLOS Biology, PLOS Genetics and PLOS Computational Biology.

PLOS BIOLOGUE

04/24/2025

Research Article

Driving cerebrospinal fluid flow

The directed motion of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain is key for the distribution and removal of solutes, but how this flux is modulated is not clear. Juliana Zimmermann, Clara Boudriot, Christiane Eipert, Christian Sorg, Benedikt Zott and co-workers show in human subjects that changes in total cerebral blood volume drive the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

Image credit: pbio.3003138

Driving cerebrospinal fluid flow

Recently Published Articles

Current Issue

Current Issue March 2025

04/24/2025

Short Reports

Who needs muscle action potentials?

It is widely accepted that action potentials in vertebrate muscle are indispensable for contraction. This study of zebrafish lacking the sodium channel NaV1.4, by Chifumi Akiyama, Souhei Sakata and Fumihito Ono, reveals that NaVs are not essential for muscle contraction, and that the physiological requirement for action potentials in muscle can vary between vertebrates.

Image credit: pbio.3003137

Who needs muscle action potentials?

04/22/2025

Research Article

Listening to avatars

How does our brain process interactions with an avatar compared to another human being? Toshiko Tanaka and Masahiko Haruno show that feedback from an avatar increases risk-taking behavior in humans and is associated with lower activity in the amygdala and ventral striatum.

Image credit: pbio.3003122

Listening to avatars

04/22/2025

Meta-Research Article

Reproducibility in insect behavior studies

Insect studies can face challenges with reproducibility. Using a 3x3 experimental design across three laboratory sites, three insect species, and three independent experiments, Carolin Mundinger, Nora Schulz, Pragya Singh, Helene Richter and co-authors reveal cases of both sufficient and poor reproducibility, highlighting critical opportunities for improving experimental rigor in insect research.

Reproducibility in insect behavior studies

Image credit: Holger Schielzeth

04/21/2025

Research Article

An early swim alters neuromuscular development

The neuromuscular system is highly plastic during early life development. Camille Quilgars, Sandrine Bertrand and colleagues show that brief swim training in mouse pups accelerated swimming pattern acquisition and altered motoneuron properties, highlighting the sensitivity of the neuromuscular apparatus during development.

An early swim alters neuromuscular development

Image credit: pbio.3003153

04/21/2025

Research Article

Making a salivary gland

How does transcriptional patterning regulate salivary gland morphogenesis? Annabel May and Katja Röper provide a detailed scRNA-seq characterization of transcriptional changes during early morphogenesis of the Drosophila salivary gland placode, revealing that this process is regulated by both the induction, but also exclusion of regulatory factors, such as tollo.

Making a salivary gland

Image credit: pbio.3003133

04/18/2025

Editorial

Vaccines work… and do not cause autism

Vaccines have saved millions of lives, yet their importance and safety is repeatedly in question. This editorial argues that we cannot let disinformation campaigns get in the way of global public health.

Vaccines work… and do not cause autism

Image credit: Unsplash user Ed Us

04/15/2025

Perspective

Gene drive in plants

Gene drive can modify or suppress plant populations, offering solutions to challenges associated with globalization and climate change. Bruce Hay discusses how self-limiting gene drive methods provide a controlled, reversible path forward.

Gene drive in plants

Image credit: pbio.3003148

04/15/2025

Unsolved Mystery

Human language: A view from the womb

Did human language evolve via a gestural or a vocal route? This Unsolved Mystery discusses evidence suggesting that fetal auditory development and learning in the womb are important evolutionary factors in the dominance of vocal communication.

Human language: A view from the womb

Image credit: pbio.3003141

04/14/2025

Perspective

Filovirus vaccine strategy

Filoviruses continue to re-emerge in Africa, causing localized public health emergencies. Andrea Marzi highlights the importance of taking a holistic approach to protect against filoviruses, discussing possible strategies to achieve cross-protection.

Filovirus vaccine strategy

Image credit: pbio.3003142

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