02/20/2020
Research Article
A study in nematodes by Elisabeth Maluck, Inka Busack, Henrik Bringmann and co-authors shows that to understand sleep state switching, the flip-flop model for sleep regulation needs to be complemented by additional wake-active sleep-promoting neurons that activate sleep-active sleep-promoting neurons to induce sleep.
Image credit: pbio.3000361
Current Issue January 2020
02/18/2020
Research Article
The brain exhibits substantial diurnal variation in physiology and function. A large-scale fMRI study by Csaba Orban, Thomas Yeo and co-workers reveals that the brain’s global signal amplitude, typically elevated during drowsy states, unexpectedly reduces steadily as the day progresses.
Image credit: pbio.3000602
02/13/2020
Research Article
Pengfei Liu, Donna Zhang and co-authors reveal a novel role for the transcription factor NRF2 in controlling the primary cilium and its associated Hedgehog signaling pathway; they also uncover a mechanism by which NRF2 hyperactivation promotes tumor progression.
Image credit: Pengfei Liu
02/14/2020
perspective
Macroalgal germplasm banking is an important resource for biodiversity conservation, human food security, and industry innovation. This Perspective article by Rachael Wade, Filipe Alberto and co-authors maintains that an international, coordinative initiative is needed to fully develop and capitalize on this resource.
Image credit: Flickr user Rich Brooks
02/11/2020
Research Article
Shirlee Wohl, Hayden Metsky, Stephen Schaffner, Paul Rota, Lawrence Madoff, Nathan Yozwiak, Bronwyn MacInnis, Sandra Smole, Yonatan Grad, Pardis Sabeti and co-workers study recent mumps outbreaks in the United States to reveal transmission patterns within and between Massachusetts communities, highlighting the importance of combining detailed genomic and epidemiological data, both locally and nationwide.
Image credit: pbio.3000611
02/10/2020
research article
Brown adipose tissue plays a pivotal role in energy homeostasis and serves as a metabolic sink for glucose and fatty acid. Mari Sato, Tadataka Tsuji, Yu-Hua Tseng and co-workers demonstrate a novel light-sensing mechanism in mice via the photoreceptor Opsin3 that regulates fuel utilization and mitochondrial activity of brown adipocytes.
Image credit: pbio.3000630
02/10/2020
Research Article
The Ebola virus envelope glycoprotein is a membrane fusion machine required for the virus to enter into host cells. This study reveals the conformational changes that the envelope glycoprotein undergoes during the membrane fusion process.
Image credit: Flickr user NIAID
02/11/2020
Community Page
Daniel Strech, Tracey Weissgerber and Ulrich Dirnagl describe an ongoing large-scale structured initiative at the Berlin Institute of Health which aims at improving the robustness, reproducibility and transparency of research in an academic biomedical setting.
Image credit: pbio.3000576
02/06/2020
Research Article
Selection scans across multiple populations and species of Heliconius butterfly reveal pervasive selection on novel and introgressed color pattern variation, suggesting high rates of color pattern turn-over events.
Image credit: Chris Jiggins
02/06/2020
Short Reports
Despite their sparsity (about 0.5% of neurons), a population of interneurons in the mouse barrel cortex that express genes associated with both cholinergic and GABAergic signalling can effectively modulate sensory processing in the cortical microcircuit.
Image credit: Amir Dudai & Nadav Yayon
Raquel Lieberman discusses her work on the protein myocilin, implicated in glaucoma, but whose normal function remains unclear after over 20 years.
Susanna Bidgood explores the future of using poxviruses as versatile tools for cell biology research.
Rachel Harding proposes that open notebooks present an opportunity for researchers to showcase their work and rapidly advance science in their field
On the eve of the UN General Assembly meeting on TB, Christoph Grundner urged the need to consider basic research as an essential component of any future anti-TB strategy.
Norman Pace remembers the early days of what became known as "metagenomics," as experienced by the author during his development as a scientist.
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12-14 Feb, 2020
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26-30 Jan, 2020
Meet Senior Editor Roli Roberts in Edinburgh
Nov 13-15, 2019
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