04/17/2025
Short Reports
In E. coli, six of the seven ribosomal RNA operons cluster by an unknown mechanism. Khang Ho and Rasika Harshey show that elevated expression of the sigma factors σH or FecI, localized in the inner membrane, disrupts clustering, an effect suppressed by σD.
Image credit: pbio.3003113
Current Issue March 2025
04/17/2025
Research Article
A precursor procapsid is initially formed during bacteriophage assembly, but the mechanisms underlying the assembly process remain unclear. Hao Xiao, Wenyuan Chen, Jingdong Song, Lingpeng Cheng, Hongrong Liu and colleagues solve the cryo-EM structure of the scaffolding protein complex and portal within the phage P22 procapsid, revealing how this complex orchestrates the initiation of the procapsid assembly.
Image credit: pbio.3003104
04/15/2025
Research Article
The human lactate receptor HCAR1 is an emerging therapeutic target for a variety of diseases, but the molecular basis of signal transduction remains poorly understood. Xin Pan, Fang Ye, Peiruo Ning, Yiping Yu, Kaizheng Gong, Yang Du and co-workers report the cryo-EM structure of HCAR1 in complex with the heterotrimeric Gi1 protein to provide a structural framework for ligand recognition and receptor activation.
Image credit: pbio.3003126
04/15/2025
Methods and Resources
Research on the bat innate immune response to pathogens has been hindered by a lack of laboratory reagents. Victoria Gonzalez, Arinjay Banerjee, Stephanie Seifert, Michael Letko and co-authors develope approaches for generating bat cell lines and produce new bat cell lines, enabling studies on viral susceptibility and immune responses.
Image credit: pbio.3003098
04/15/2025
Research Article
Staphylococcus aureus secretes toxins, such as Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), to kill immune cells, including macrophages. Seong Chow, Hsin-Hui Shen, Thomas Naderer and colleagues show that PVL binds phosphatidic acid and cardiolipin in acidic conditions, targeting lysosomal and mitochondrial membranes (but not the plasma membrane) to promote bacterial escape.
Image credit: pbio.3003080
04/15/2025
Methods and Resources
Coccidioides is a neglected fungal pathogen that forms a unique structure, the spherule, to cause disease. Christina Homer, Anita Sil and colleagues provide the first high-density transcriptomic analysis of Coccidioides development, showing spherule-specific gene regulation, Ryp1-dependent virulence factors, and potential targets of antifungal therapy.
Image credit: pbio.3003066
04/18/2025
Editorial
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.
Image credit: Unsplash user Ed Us
04/15/2025
Perspective
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.
Image credit: pbio.3003148
04/15/2025
Unsolved Mystery
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.
Image credit: pbio.3003141
04/14/2025
Perspective
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.
Image credit: pbio.3003142
Neurotechnology offers unprecedented opportunities to treat neural disorders, restore brain function and enhance cognitive abilities. This collection explores the present and possible futures of neurotechnology to improve human health and cognition.
Translating conservation and biodiversity research from the field into the real world is a complex problem. This collection discusses issues around economics, policy, and how to do research that answers questions that decision makers have.
Symbiosis research has become a holistic and pervasive field with a mature theoretical basis. This collection showcases symbiotic relationships across the tree of life, exploring their evolutionary basis and underlying mechanisms.
PLOS Biology is 20 and we are celebrating with a collection that contains articles that look back at landmark studies that we published, others that look past and future, and others discussing how publishing and open science have evolved and what is to come.
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This collection explores engineering strategies to help us adapt plants to a changing climate, including breeding techniques, genome engineering, synthetic biology and microbiome engineering.
April 22 - 24
Meet Senior Editor Luke Smith (lsmith@plos.org)
May 11 - 16
Meet Associate Editor Melissa Vazquez Hernandez (mvazquezhernandez@plos.org)
May 13 - 17
Meet Senior Editor Luke Smith (lsmith@plos.org)
May 18 - 23
Meet Editor in Chief Nonia Pariente (npariente@plos.org)
May 26 - 28
Meet Associate Editor Melissa Vazquez Hernandez (mvazquezhernandez@plos.org)
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