April 9, 2026
04/03/2026
research article
Nipah virus is a deadly virus for which there are currently no approved treatments or vaccines for human use. In this study, the authors tested an experimental drug called 4′-fluorouridine (4′-FlU), which is taken orally and has shown promise against a variety of other viruses.
Image credit: Escaffre et al
Current Issue March 2026
03/30/2026
Research Article
Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a major cause of food-borne illnesses, and disease severity correlates with the production of Shiga toxins. While clinical symptoms such as bloody diarrhea and hemolytic uremic syndrome have been attributed to Stx, its contribution to bacterial fitness is not well understood.
Image credit: Odem et al
04/01/2026
Review
This review synthesizes emerging insights into the regulatory landscape of LuxR-type receptors, focusing on direct PPIs that expand the functional repertoire of LuxR-type receptors. The authors classify LuxR-interacting partners into negative regulators, dual or context-dependent regulators, and global regulators.
Image credit: Mallery & Paczkowski
03/13/2026
Pearls
Leishmaniases have traditionally been defined by a stable triad: transmission by phlebotomine sand flies, geographically restricted parasite species, and well-established, typically zoonotic reservoirs.
Image credit: Volf & Sadlova
03/11/2026
research article
Mastitis, a major dairy industry challenge, is often caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Previous research linked gut microbiota disruption—induced by vancomycin in mice—to reduced microbial glutamine and increased mastitis susceptibility.
Image credit: Suvrajit
02/05/2026
Pearls
Plants encounter a myriad of microorganisms that can invade with detrimental or beneficial outcomes. Taking a membrane-centric point of view, the authors discuss the cellular events underlying microbe-induced cell signaling, the navigation of microbes within plant tissues, and the molecular exchanges occurring at plant–microbe interfaces.
Image credit: Jolivet et al
01/07/2026
research article
Human-to-human influenza virus transmission under controlled conditions could provide insights leading to...
Image credit: NIAID
01/20/2026
research article
During herpes simplex virus type 1 infection, the nuclear structures undergo drastic reorganization, but little is known about how nuclear mechanobiology changes as a result. We show that the nucleus softens dramatically during the infection.
Image credit: Tervonen et al
01/20/2026
research article
The authors wanted to understand why P. aeruginosa becomes so aggressive in burn wounds.
Image credit: Milad Fakurian
10/27/2025
pearls
This article reviews how Orthoflaviviruses such as dengue, Zika and West Nile infect mosquito midguts, focusing on early molecular events that shape vector competence.
Image credit: ppat.1013617
Brittany Seibert, C. Joaquín Cáceres, and colleagues
Qi-Yue Yang, Yong-Le Yang, and colleagues
Frideborg Bradley and colleagues
Jodie A. Schiffer & Stephanie V. Stumbur and colleagues
B. Karina Montero and colleagues
We are pleased to announce that Sumita Bhaduri-McIntosh joined us as second Editor-in-Chief at the beginning of 2025. With this addition, we are thrilled to once again have a dynamic dual leadership team guiding the journal.
We're excited about our revised and synchronized Editorial Board webpage—now enhanced with a brand-new search functionality!
Easily find and explore board members with our improved layout and seamless navigation.
We've been thrilled to welcome:
Helena Boshoff, Thomas Guillard, Thomas Hoenen, Francis Jiggins, Robert Kalejta, Tracey Lamb, Edward Mitre, and Alice Prince!
PLOS will always anchor our decisions in our values and our principles. And we will continue to speak up vocally for open, independent science.
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