08/28/2026
Research Article
How does the accumulation of organic acid disrupt mitochondrial function? Jie Zhang, Qian Shan, Xin Wang, Chonglin Yang and co-workers show that the accumulation of oxaloacetate damages mitochondrial structure by inhibiting the MICOS complex, thereby preventing MIC60-dependent membrane remodeling.
Image credit: pbio.3003649
Current Issue July 2026
08/27/2026
Research Article
Multi-member gene families encoding cell-surface proteins can contribute to the assembly of complex brain circuits. Qichen Duan, Pelin Volkan and co-authors reveal that two such conserved gene families are expressed combinatorially in Drosophila olfactory circuits, suggesting that they may act as neuron-specific recognition tags to support brain patterning.
Image credit: pbio.3003955
08/26/2026
Research Article
Applying dynamical systems theory to single-cell data can provide a detailed picture of the cellular states observed during cell fate decisions. Marine Fontaine, Joaquina Delás, James Briscoe, David Rand and colleagues present dynamic landscape analysis (DLA) as an integrative framework that reveals how morphogen signals orchestrate robust cell fate decisions during neural tube development across species.
Image credit: pbio.3003953
08/25/2026
Research Article
Neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) are bipotent cells that co-express SOX2 and TBXT and generate spinal cord and musculoskeletal tissues in vivo. Anahí Binagui-Casas, Anna Granés, Valerie Wilson and co-workers characterize the functional heterogeneity of NMP-like cells in vitro, revealing how distinct SOX2 and TBXT expression thresholds govern neuromesodermal fate decisions.
Image credit: pbio.3003960
08/25/2026
Short Reports
Giant viruses are known across eukaryotes, yet definitive evidence of fungal infection has been missing. Jillian Myers, Jason Stajich, Timothy James and co-authors identify Mycodnaviridae as a globally distributed family of giant viruses that persistently infect zoosporic fungi, providing a promising model for studying giant virus infection in eukaryotes.
Image credit: Timothy James
08/24/2026
Research Article
What are the genetic mechanisms through which novel traits evolve? Ben Hopkins, Artyom Kopp and colleagues find that Drosophila sex comb teeth evolved via expression changes that lead to a metabolically driven divergence in developmental rate between the shaft cells of the sex comb and the cell types from which they ancestrally derive.
Image credit: pbio.3003964
08/28/2026
Editorial
Despite recent progress in clinical research into Women’s Health, basic research is still lagging behind. This Editorial calls for a renewed focus on basic physiology research into both sexes to close the gap.
Image credit: pbio.3003578
08/26/2026
Unsolved Mystery
Human activities are transforming ecosystems, but what are their effects on wildlife microbiota? This Unsolved Mystery looks at how pollution, habitat change and altered host contact networks can reshape host-associated microbiota.
Image credit: pbio.3003939
08/19/2026
Essay
Encrypted peptides are short bioactive fragments hidden within larger proteins that remain largely undercharacterized. This Essay explores how proteolytically released peptides are discovered and how their mechanism of action helps to shape immunity and physiology.
Image credit: pbio.3003914
08/18/2026
Perspective
Insect numbers are declining, but most insect life on Earth is found in locations we are not actively monitoring. This Perspective discusses the insect decline and how to build the planetary observatory that biodiversity requires.
Image credit: Smithsonian collection
Aging affects us all, but we still do not know how the process evolves or if we can modulate its pace. This issue of PLOS Biology presents a Collection of articles that explores different aspects of aging, discussing what challenges still need to be overcome.
This PLOS Biology collection aims to shine a light on the many facets of immunometabolism, highlighting how molecular and cellular mechanisms impact diverse tissue and organismal functions and the exciting potential for leveraging immunometabolism for therapeutic interventions.
Recent technological advancements in omics have unveiled the mechanisms governing tumor progression across spatial and temporal scales. This collection reveals the complexities of the crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment.
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.
September 14 - 15
Meet Editor in Chief Nonia Pariente (npariente@plos.org)
October 5 - 8
Meet Senior Editor Christian Schnell (cschnell@plos.org)
October 6 - 9
Meet Senior Editor Roli Roberts (rroberts@plos.org)
October 19 - 23
Meet Senior Editor Melissa Vazquez Hernandez (mvazquezhernandez@plos.org)
November 12 - 15
Meet Senior Editor Ines Alvarez-Garcia (ialvarez-garcia@plos.org)
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