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PLOS Biology
@plosbiology.org
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A leading life science journal that champions high-impact research across all disciplines—from molecules to ecosystems. We offer innovative formats and collaborative editorial support to ensure your work achieves its full scientific impact.
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plosbiology.org
And Justin Sung & @danasmall.bsky.social argue that the pleasure of eating food is not a driver of the obesity epidemic, but rather the regular consumption of an unhealthy diet blunts sensitivity to interoceptive signals that drive food reward #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/4nTlHQc
Photograph of a half-eaten jam doughnut. Image by Alexander Fox | PlaNet Fox from Pixabay.
November 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
plosbiology.org
In their Perspective, @danlikesbrains.bsky.social &co highlight why establishing both mechanistic insight and construct validity will be critical prerequisites for developing effective body-based health interventions #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/47VjLRn
Photograph of a stone carving showing people holding balloons that look like brains. Image by H. B. from Pixabay.
November 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
plosbiology.org
Research into brain–body communication is being reinvigorated as the field unites under the umbrella of #interoception. Our new #Editorial highlights four Perspectives that show the breadth of this emerging field #neurosky 🧪 🧵 ⬇️
plos.io/4r2SRzL
Image showing a model of the internal organs. Image by Olena from Pixabay
November 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
plosbiology.org
A day in the life of a brain. This study develops a pipeline to infer molecular properties of c-FOS-labelled active #neurons and analyze the networks they form. The authors use this pipeline to characterize #brain activity over the course of a day @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3JZa0to
Top: Visualizations of neurons in major brain regions for each time window (2 brains for each time point). Bottom: Visualization of different brain regions, which are colored based on their centrality at different time windows (left to right: ZT0-4, ZT8-12, ZT12-16, ZT20-24) and from different views (top: horizontal, bottom: coronal).
November 17, 2025 at 8:55 AM
plosbiology.org
Is overeating driven by hedonism? @danasmall.bsky.social &co argue that the pleasure of eating food is not a driver of the #obesity epidemic, but rather the regular consumption of an unhealthy diet blunts sensitivity to interoceptive signals that drive food reward #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/4nTlHQc
Photograph of a half-eaten jam doughnut. Image by Alexander Fox | PlaNet Fox from Pixabay.
November 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
plosbiology.org
The field of #interoception research is growing at a rapid pace. @danlikesbrains.bsky.social &co highlight why establishing both mechanistic insight and construct validity will be critical prerequisites for developing effective body-based health interventions #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/47VjLRn
Photograph of a stone carving showing people holding balloons that look like brains. Image by H. B. from Pixabay.
November 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
plosbiology.org
Is overeating driven by hedonism? @danasmall.bsky.social &co argue that the pleasure of eating food is not a driver of the #obesity epidemic, but rather the regular consumption of an unhealthy diet blunts sensitivity to interoceptive signals that drive food reward #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/4nTlHQc
Photograph of a half-eaten jam doughnut. Image by Alexander Fox | PlaNet Fox from Pixabay.
November 15, 2025 at 5:03 PM
plosbiology.org
The field of #interoception research is growing at a rapid pace. @danlikesbrains.bsky.social &co highlight why establishing both mechanistic insight and construct validity will be critical prerequisites for developing effective body-based health interventions #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/47VjLRn
Photograph of a stone carving showing people holding balloons that look like brains. Image by H. B. from Pixabay.
November 15, 2025 at 5:02 PM
plosbiology.org
A day in the life of a brain. This study develops a pipeline to infer molecular properties of c-FOS-labelled active #neurons and analyze the networks they form. The authors use this pipeline to characterize #brain activity over the course of a day @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3JZa0to
Top: Visualizations of neurons in major brain regions for each time window (2 brains for each time point). Bottom: Visualization of different brain regions, which are colored based on their centrality at different time windows (left to right: ZT0-4, ZT8-12, ZT12-16, ZT20-24) and from different views (top: horizontal, bottom: coronal).
November 14, 2025 at 5:30 PM
plosbiology.org
A day in the life of a brain. This study develops a pipeline to infer molecular properties of c-FOS-labelled active #neurons and analyze the networks they form. The authors use this pipeline to characterize #brain activity over the course of a day @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3JZa0to
Top: Visualizations of neurons in major brain regions for each time window (2 brains for each time point). Bottom: Visualization of different brain regions, which are colored based on their centrality at different time windows (left to right: ZT0-4, ZT8-12, ZT12-16, ZT20-24) and from different views (top: horizontal, bottom: coronal).
November 14, 2025 at 2:06 PM
plosbiology.org
Is overeating driven by hedonism? @danasmall.bsky.social &co argue that the pleasure of eating food is not a driver of the #obesity epidemic, but rather the regular consumption of an unhealthy diet blunts sensitivity to interoceptive signals that drive food reward #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/4nTlHQc
Photograph of a half-eaten jam doughnut. Image by Alexander Fox | PlaNet Fox from Pixabay.
November 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
plosbiology.org
The field of #interoception research is growing at a rapid pace. @danlikesbrains.bsky.social
&co highlight why establishing both mechanistic insight and construct validity will be critical prerequisites for developing effective body-based health interventions #neurosky 🧪
plos.io/47VjLRn
Photograph of a stone carving showing people holding balloons that look like brains. Image by H. B. from Pixabay.
November 14, 2025 at 1:55 PM
plosbiology.org
The hypothalamic #melanocortin circuit is crucial for regulating energy balance, but how does it arise? @sebastienbouret.bsky.social &co show in mice that early postnatal activity & vesicle release from #oxytocin neurons are critical for proper circuit development @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/49ifiKW
Micrograph showing genetically labeled oxytocin-producing neurons (green fluorescence) in the paraventricular nucleus of the mouse hypothalamus. Credit: Pierre-Yves Barelle & Sebastien G Bouret.
November 14, 2025 at 8:55 AM
plosbiology.org
How do internal bodily rhythms influence #brain activity & motor function? @tahnee-engelen.bsky.social &co show that #cardiac, #respiratory & #gastric rhythms independently modulate motor excitability, revealing distinct #interoceptive profiles across individuals @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4nMtpLT
Top: Experimental set up. Single pulses of TMS were applied to the hand area of the right primary motor cortex with an inter-pulse interval randomized between 6 and 10 s. Simultaneously, the neuronavigated coil position (yellow), electrocardiogram (red), respiratory signal (blue), electrogastrogram (green), and electromyography from the left hand (gray) were recorded. The figure shows traces of a 20-s time segment from one participant of the cardiac (raw), respiratory (filtered), gastric (filtered), and EMG (raw) signals. The experimental measure was the Motor Evoked Potential amplitude measured on a hand muscle (first dorsal interosseous), analyzed against the phase of the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. Note that the three rhythms have very different periods (~1 s for the heart, ~ 5 s for respiration, and ~20 s for the gastric rhythm). Bottom: Artwork illustrating how rhythms of the internal organs interact with the moment-to-moment fluctuations observed in corticospinal motor excitability. Image depicts an outline of a brain with representations of the three rhythmic organs influencing the motor system: the heart, lungs, and stomach. Image credit: Tahnée Engelen.
November 13, 2025 at 5:38 PM
plosbiology.org
The hypothalamic #melanocortin circuit is crucial for regulating energy balance, but how does it arise? @sebastienbouret.bsky.social &co show in mice that early postnatal activity & vesicle release from #oxytocin neurons are critical for proper circuit development @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/49ifiKW
Micrograph showing genetically labeled oxytocin-producing neurons (green fluorescence) in the paraventricular nucleus of the mouse hypothalamus. Credit: Pierre-Yves Barelle & Sebastien G Bouret.
November 13, 2025 at 5:33 PM
plosbiology.org
When colonizing a new habitat, organisms adapt to maximize their reproductive success via #LifeHistory #evolution. @ecoevodevolab.bsky.social @cbank.bsky.social show that life history evolution facilitates niche diversification across a range of theoretical models @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4p7YT0a
An eco-evolutionary feedback loop promoting diversity. Ecological diversification is common in complex landscapes composed of multiple ecosystems connected by dispersal (e.g., fish radiations across multiple lakes or bird radiations across island archipelagos). After colonization of a novel environment, local adaptation in life history results in stronger intraspecific competition, which, in the presence of ecological opportunity, induces disruptive selection. As a consequence, ecological diversification driven by niche specialization occurs, increasing phenotypic diversity within populations or species diversity in case barriers to gene flow evolve. In either case, functional diversity is enhanced, which, in turn, can positively influence dispersal and thereby the rate of colonization of novel environments. Although our model does not explicitly incorporate spatial structure, the evolutionary trajectories are assumed to begin from a colonization event, which is implicitly linked to dispersal across the landscape.
November 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM
plosbiology.org
How do internal bodily rhythms influence #brain activity & motor function? @tahnee-engelen.bsky.social &co show that #cardiac, #respiratory & #gastric rhythms independently modulate motor excitability, revealing distinct #interoceptive profiles across individuals @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4nMtpLT
Top: Experimental set up. Single pulses of TMS were applied to the hand area of the right primary motor cortex with an inter-pulse interval randomized between 6 and 10 s. Simultaneously, the neuronavigated coil position (yellow), electrocardiogram (red), respiratory signal (blue), electrogastrogram (green), and electromyography from the left hand (gray) were recorded. The figure shows traces of a 20-s time segment from one participant of the cardiac (raw), respiratory (filtered), gastric (filtered), and EMG (raw) signals. The experimental measure was the Motor Evoked Potential amplitude measured on a hand muscle (first dorsal interosseous), analyzed against the phase of the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. Note that the three rhythms have very different periods (~1 s for the heart, ~ 5 s for respiration, and ~20 s for the gastric rhythm). Bottom: Artwork illustrating how rhythms of the internal organs interact with the moment-to-moment fluctuations observed in corticospinal motor excitability. Image depicts an outline of a brain with representations of the three rhythmic organs influencing the motor system: the heart, lungs, and stomach. Image credit: Tahnée Engelen.
November 13, 2025 at 1:58 PM
plosbiology.org
When colonizing a new habitat, organisms adapt to maximize their reproductive success via #LifeHistory #evolution. @ecoevodevolab.bsky.social @cbank.bsky.social show that life history evolution facilitates niche diversification across a range of theoretical models @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4p7YT0a
An eco-evolutionary feedback loop promoting diversity. Ecological diversification is common in complex landscapes composed of multiple ecosystems connected by dispersal (e.g., fish radiations across multiple lakes or bird radiations across island archipelagos). After colonization of a novel environment, local adaptation in life history results in stronger intraspecific competition, which, in the presence of ecological opportunity, induces disruptive selection. As a consequence, ecological diversification driven by niche specialization occurs, increasing phenotypic diversity within populations or species diversity in case barriers to gene flow evolve. In either case, functional diversity is enhanced, which, in turn, can positively influence dispersal and thereby the rate of colonization of novel environments. Although our model does not explicitly incorporate spatial structure, the evolutionary trajectories are assumed to begin from a colonization event, which is implicitly linked to dispersal across the landscape.
November 13, 2025 at 1:55 PM
plosbiology.org
The hypothalamic #melanocortin circuit is crucial for regulating energy balance, but how does it arise? @sebastienbouret.bsky.social &co show in mice that early postnatal activity & vesicle release from #oxytocin neurons are critical for proper circuit development @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/49ifiKW
November 13, 2025 at 1:52 PM
plosbiology.org
How do internal bodily rhythms influence #brain activity & motor function? @tahnee-engelen.bsky.social &co show that #cardiac, #respiratory & #gastric rhythms independently modulate motor excitability, revealing distinct #interoceptive profiles across individuals @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4nMtpLT
Top: Experimental set up. Single pulses of TMS were applied to the hand area of the right primary motor cortex with an inter-pulse interval randomized between 6 and 10 s. Simultaneously, the neuronavigated coil position (yellow), electrocardiogram (red), respiratory signal (blue), electrogastrogram (green), and electromyography from the left hand (gray) were recorded. The figure shows traces of a 20-s time segment from one participant of the cardiac (raw), respiratory (filtered), gastric (filtered), and EMG (raw) signals. The experimental measure was the Motor Evoked Potential amplitude measured on a hand muscle (first dorsal interosseous), analyzed against the phase of the cardiac, respiratory, and gastric rhythms. Note that the three rhythms have very different periods (~1 s for the heart, ~ 5 s for respiration, and ~20 s for the gastric rhythm). Bottom: Artwork illustrating how rhythms of the internal organs interact with the moment-to-moment fluctuations observed in corticospinal motor excitability. Image depicts an outline of a brain with representations of the three rhythmic organs influencing the motor system: the heart, lungs, and stomach. Image credit: Tahnée Engelen.
November 13, 2025 at 10:17 AM
plosbiology.org
When colonizing a new habitat, organisms adapt to maximize their reproductive success via #LifeHistory #evolution. @ecoevodevolab.bsky.social @cbank.bsky.social show that life history evolution facilitates niche diversification across a range of theoretical models @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4p7YT0a
An eco-evolutionary feedback loop promoting diversity. Ecological diversification is common in complex landscapes composed of multiple ecosystems connected by dispersal (e.g., fish radiations across multiple lakes or bird radiations across island archipelagos). After colonization of a novel environment, local adaptation in life history results in stronger intraspecific competition, which, in the presence of ecological opportunity, induces disruptive selection. As a consequence, ecological diversification driven by niche specialization occurs, increasing phenotypic diversity within populations or species diversity in case barriers to gene flow evolve. In either case, functional diversity is enhanced, which, in turn, can positively influence dispersal and thereby the rate of colonization of novel environments. Although our model does not explicitly incorporate spatial structure, the evolutionary trajectories are assumed to begin from a colonization event, which is implicitly linked to dispersal across the landscape.
November 13, 2025 at 10:02 AM
plosbiology.org
Latent HIV-1 resists current #reactivation therapies, hindering viral eradication. This study identifies #RNAbindingProtein RBM39 as a scaffold assembling an m⁶A-dependent RNA decay complex that degrades Tat transcripts, enforcing & maintaining #HIV1 latency @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4nRrHsO
A schematic diagram showing two models of HIV-1 infection. Left panel (HIV-1 latency model): Under HIV-1 infection, upregulated RBM39 promotes m⁶A methylation of Tat RNA. This modification is recognized by YTHDC1, which subsequently recruits the RNA helicase DDX5 to degrade m⁶A-methylated Tat RNA. As a result, Tat RNA fails to undergo splicing and translation into functional Tat protein, thereby preventing activation of the HIV-1 LTR promoter and maintaining viral latency. Right panel (HIV-1 reactivation model): Treatment with indisulam induces degradation of RBM39. This abolishes the recognition of Tat RNA by YTHDC1 and its degradation by DDX5. Consequently, Tat RNA is efficiently translated into Tat protein, which activates the HIV-1 LTR promoter, leading to HIV-1 reactivation.
November 13, 2025 at 8:55 AM
plosbiology.org
Latent HIV-1 resists current #reactivation therapies, hindering viral eradication. This study identifies #RNAbindingProtein RBM39 as a scaffold assembling an m⁶A-dependent RNA decay complex that degrades Tat transcripts, enforcing & maintaining #HIV1 latency @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4nRrHsO
A schematic diagram showing two models of HIV-1 infection. Left panel (HIV-1 latency model): Under HIV-1 infection, upregulated RBM39 promotes m⁶A methylation of Tat RNA. This modification is recognized by YTHDC1, which subsequently recruits the RNA helicase DDX5 to degrade m⁶A-methylated Tat RNA. As a result, Tat RNA fails to undergo splicing and translation into functional Tat protein, thereby preventing activation of the HIV-1 LTR promoter and maintaining viral latency. Right panel (HIV-1 reactivation model): Treatment with indisulam induces degradation of RBM39. This abolishes the recognition of Tat RNA by YTHDC1 and its degradation by DDX5. Consequently, Tat RNA is efficiently translated into Tat protein, which activates the HIV-1 LTR promoter, leading to HIV-1 reactivation.
November 12, 2025 at 5:35 PM
plosbiology.org
Gut microbes can influence #aging, but can this effect be chemically induced? This study shows that a low dose of cephaloridine triggers #ColanicAcid production in commensal #Ecoli, extending the #lifespan of #Celegans & mouse hosts & countering age-related changes @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/3JSL9aF
Chemical induction of bacterial colanic acid (CA) promotes longevity. Left: The disk-diffusion assay shows E. coli treated by chemical compounds presenting various blue colorations, indicating the induction of the cps operon responsible for CA biosynthesis. Ctrl (LB medium), Cepha (cephaloridine), CephT (cephalothin), Cefaz (Cefazolin), Cefu (cefuroxime), PenG (benzylpenicillin), Amp (ampicillin), Carb (carbenicillin), Col (colistin), Cipro (ciprofloxacin), Azit (Azithromycin), Tet (tetracycline), and Chlor (chloramphenicol); N = 2. Right: The life span of C. elegans is extended by 14% with Cepha-CAI dose-treated WT BW25113 E. coli. N = 3, 60–100 worms per replicate.
November 12, 2025 at 5:30 PM
plosbiology.org
#Regeneration in #planarians needs new tissue axes to align with existing body axes, coordinated by the dorsal-ventral boundary (DVB). Study shows the DVB is also needed for A-P axis patterning, enabling ectopic head formation independently of the anterior pole @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4nJX48t
Top: FISH characterization of the DVB region. Images show the expression of genes along the DV axis relative to the spatial domain of the canonical epidermal marker of the DVB, laminB. Bottom: Transplant animals that received tissue grafted with reversed DV polarity develop goblet-shaped outgrowths. After β-catenin-1 RNAi (10–14d), these outgrowths form head-like structures. Yellow arrowhead, eye.
November 12, 2025 at 5:26 PM