10/17/2025
Research Article
Candida albicans is a leading opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans. Ci Fu, Leah Cowen and co-workers expand the GRACE library, the largest functional genomics resource in C. albicans, and identify genes important for temperature-dependent fitness, highlighting the transformative potential of functional genomics to uncover vulnerabilities in pathogenic fungi.
Image credit: pbio.3003409
Current Issue September 2025
10/16/2025
Research Article
Winter-active herbivores often experience difficulty obtaining sufficient nitrogen during winter months, when dietary protein becomes scarce. Fuyu Shi, Yanming Zhang, Dehua Wang and co-authors reveal that winter protein restriction drives gut microbiome remodeling in the non-hibernating plateau pika, increasing microbiome nitrogen recycling capacity and helping maintain host protein balance.
Image credit: Pixabay user makieni777
10/16/2025
Research Article
Visual salience generation involves center-surround dynamics, but which components of the visual system perform these computations as opposed to inheriting them from other regions? Peng Cui, Kuisong Song, Andreas Kardamakis and colleagues show that the mouse superior colliculus encodes center-surround dynamics under isolated conditions, and provide insights into the circuit implementation.
Image credit: Peng Cui
10/15/2025
Research Article
Fungal genome size variation is largely driven by transposable elements and shaped by lineage-specific genome defense mechanisms. Thomas Badet and Daniel Croll show that the presence or absence of repeat-induced point mutation systems influences genome architecture, with a zinc-finger protein emerging as a candidate for a novel defense mechanism across fungal lineages.
Image credit: pbio.3003433
10/14/2025
Research Article
Neophobia (the aversive response to novelty) varies considerably across species and individuals, and can impact adaptability and survival. Rachel Miller and colleagues from the ManyBirds Project consortium assess neophobia in 1400 subjects from 136 bird species across 25 orders, identifying phylogenetic influences and broad ecological drivers of neophobia.
Image credit: Kai Caspar
10/13/2025
Research Article
Excitatory input from the prefrontal cortex to hippocampus pyramidal cells is commonly believed to be mediated through the thalamic nucleus reuniens brain region. Lilya Andrianova, Michael Craig and co-authors show in rodents that this brain pathway is unexpectedly minor, contrary to assumptions in the field.
Image credit: pbio.3003419
10/16/2025
Essay
Intercropping and crop rotation are ancient agricultural practices. This Essay explores the role of plant-derived metabolites and plant-associated microbes in these agricultural systems and how they can help sustainable agriculture.
Image credit: pbio.3003416
09/30/2025
Perspective
Transformative change for a just and sustainable world often appears overwhelming. This Perspective highlights the key messages from the IPBES Transformative Change Assessment and how everyone can help to achieve transformative change.
Image credit: pbio.3003387
09/24/2025
Consensus View
Null and negative results are still underreported. This Consensus View discusses the problem of such publication bias and presents a roadmap to a solution that has a role for everyone in promoting knowledge sharing, research transparency and rigor.
Image credit: pbio.3003368
09/15/2025
Unsolved Mystery
Post-transcriptional gene regulation via m6A deposition is catalyzed by a multi-protein writer complex. This Unsolved Mystery investigates why the complex requires multiple subunits and what roles its individual proteins might have in m6A regulation.
Image credit: pbio.3003386
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.
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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October 22 - 25
Meet Senior Editor Luke Smith ([email protected])
November 11 - 14
Meet Senior Editor Richard Hodge ([email protected])
November 15 - 19
Meet Associate Editor Taylor Hart ([email protected])
November 25 - 27
Meet Senior Editor Roland Roberts ([email protected])
December 15 - 16
Meet Editor in Chief Nonia Pariente ([email protected])
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