PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Fitness trade-offs and the origins of endosymbiosis
by Michael A. Brockhurst, Duncan D. Cameron, Andrew P. Beckerman Endosymbiosis drives evolutionary innovation and underpins the function of diverse ecosystems. The mechanistic origins of symbioses, however, remain unclear, in part because early evolutionary events are obscured by subsequent evolution and genetic drift. This Essay highlights how experimental studies of facultative, host-switched, and synthetic symbioses are revealing the important role of fitness trade-offs between within-host and free-living niches during the early-stage evolution of new symbiotic associations. The mutational targets underpinning such tra...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 12, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Michael A. Brockhurst Source Type: research

Fungal holobionts as blueprints for synthetic endosymbiotic systems
by Laila P. Partida-Mart ínez Rhizopus microsporus is an example of a fungal holobiont. Strains of this species can harbor bacterial and viral endosymbionts inherited by the next generation. These microbial allies increase pathogenicity and defense and control asexual and sexual reproduction. Rhizopus microsporus is an example of a fungal holobiont, harboring bacterial and viral endosymbionts. This Perspective article discusses how these microbial allies increase pathogenicity and defense and control asexual and sexual reproduction in the fungus. (Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents)
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 12, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Laila P. Partida-Mart ínez Source Type: research

Symbiosis: In search of a deeper understanding
by Thomas A. Richards, Nancy A. Moran How do distinct species cofunction in symbiosis, despite conflicting interests? A new collection of articles explores emerging themes as researchers exploit modern research tools and new models to unravel how symbiotic interactions function and evolve. This editorial discusses a new collection of articles exploring emerging themes in symbiosis research, as researchers exploit modern research tools and new models to unravel how symbiotic interactions function and evolve. (Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents)
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 12, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Thomas A. Richards Source Type: research

Realism and robustness require increased sample size when studying both sexes
by Szymon M. Drobniak, Malgorzata Lagisz, Yefeng Yang, Shinichi Nakagawa A recent article claimed that researchers need not increase the overall sample size for a study that includes both sexes. This Formal Comment points out that that study assumed two sexes to have the same variance, and explains why this is a unrealistic assumption. (Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents)
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 11, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Szymon M. Drobniak Source Type: research

Interpreting population- and family-based genome-wide association studies in the presence of confounding
by Carl Veller, Graham M. Coop A central aim of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) is to estimate direct genetic effects: the causal effects on an individual ’s phenotype of the alleles that they carry. However, estimates of direct effects can be subject to genetic and environmental confounding and can also absorb the “indirect” genetic effects of relatives’ genotypes. Recently, an important development in controlling for these confounds has been the use of within-family GWASs, which, because of the randomness of mendelian segregation within pedigrees, are often interpreted as producing unbiased estimates of ...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 11, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Carl Veller Source Type: research

Molecular circadian rhythms are robust in marine annelids lacking rhythmic behavior
by N. S ören Häfker, Laurenz Holcik, Audrey M. Mat, Aida Ćorić, Karim Vadiwala, Isabel Beets, Alexander W. Stockinger, Carolina E. Atria, Stefan Hammer, Roger Revilla-i-Domingo, Liliane Schoofs, Florian Raible, Kristin Tessmar-Raible The circadian clock controls behavior and metabolism in various organisms. However, the exact timing and strength of rhythmic phenotypes can vary significantly between individuals of the same species. This is highly relevant for rhythmically complex marine environments where organismal rhythmic diversity likely permits the occupation of different microenvironments. When investigating circ...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 11, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: N. S ören Häfker Source Type: research

Linking cell biology and ecology to understand coral symbiosis evolution
by Niels J. Dingemanse, Annika Guse Understanding the evolution of coral endosymbiosis requires a predictive framework that integrates life-history theory and ecology with cell biology. The time has come to bridge disciplines and use a model systems approach to achieve this aim. Understanding the evolution of coral endosymbiosis requires a predictive framework that integrates life-history theory and ecology with cell biology. This Perspective article argues that the time has come to bridge disciplines, and use a model systems approach to achieve this aim. (Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents)
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 11, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Niels J. Dingemanse Source Type: research

Modeling endosymbioses: Insights and hypotheses from theoretical approaches
by Lucas Santana Souza, Josephine Solowiej-Wedderburn, Adriano Bonforti, Eric Libby Endosymbiotic relationships are pervasive across diverse taxa of life, offering key avenues for eco-evolutionary dynamics. Although a variety of experimental and empirical frameworks have shed light on critical aspects of endosymbiosis, theoretical frameworks (mathematical models) are especially well-suited for certain tasks. Mathematical models can integrate multiple factors to determine the net outcome of endosymbiotic relationships, identify broad patterns that connect endosymbioses with other systems, simplify biological complexity, ge...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 10, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Lucas Santana Souza Source Type: research

Symbiotic revolutions at the interface of genomics and microbiology
by John M. Archibald Symbiosis is an old idea with a contentious history. New genomic technologies and research paradigms are fueling a shift in some of its central tenets; we need to be humble and open-minded about what the data are telling us. Symbiosis is an old idea with a contentious history. New genomic technologies and research paradigms are fueling a shift in some of its central tenets; this Perspective argues that we need to be humble and open-minded about what the data are telling us. (Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents)
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 9, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: John M. Archibald Source Type: research

Symbiosis takes a front and center role in biology
by Margaret McFall-Ngai All animals and plants likely require interactions with microbes, often in strong, persistent symbiotic associations. While the recognition of this phenomenon has been slow in coming, it will impact most, if not all, subdisciplines of biology. Research enabled by recent technological advances has revealed that all animals and plants likely require interactions with microbes, often in strong, persistent symbiotic associations. This Perspective article argues that while the recognition of this phenomenon is slow in coming, it will impact most, if not all, subdisciplines of biology. (Source: PLoS Bio...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 5, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Margaret McFall-Ngai Source Type: research

Chaperone Hsp70 helps < i > Salmonella < /i > survive infection-relevant stress by reducing protein synthesis
by Carissa Chan, Eduardo A. Groisman In all domains of life, Hsp70 chaperones preserve protein homeostasis by promoting protein folding and degradation and preventing protein aggregation. We now report that the Hsp70 from the bacterial pathogenSalmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium —termed DnaK—independently reduces protein synthesis in vitro and inS. Typhimurium facing cytoplasmic Mg2+ starvation, a condition encountered during infection. This reduction reflects a 3-fold increase in ribosome association with DnaK and a 30-fold decrease in ribosome association with trigger factor, the chaperone normally associated wi...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 4, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Carissa Chan Source Type: research

Mutualism on the edge: Understanding the < i > Paramecium –Chlorella < /i > symbiosis
by Benjamin H. Jenkins Exploring the mechanisms that underpin symbiosis requires an understanding of how these complex interactions are maintained in diverse model systems. The ciliate protist, Paramecium bursaria, offers a valuable insight into how emergent endosymbiotic interactions have evolved. Exploring the mechanisms that underpin symbiosis requires an understanding of how these complex interactions are maintained in diverse model systems. This Perspective discusses how the ciliate protist Paramecium bursaria offers a valuable insight into how emergent endosymbiotic interactions have evolved. (Source: PLoS Biology:...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 4, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Benjamin H. Jenkins Source Type: research

What choanoflagellates can teach us about symbiosis
by Arielle Woznica Environmental bacteria influence many facets of choanoflagellate biology, yet surprisingly few examples of symbioses exist. We need to find out why, as choanoflagellates can help us to understand how symbiosis may have shaped the early evolution of animals. Environmental bacteria influence many facets of choanoflagellate biology, yet surprisingly few examples of symbioses exist. This Perspective explores why choanoflagellates are an exciting system for enriching our understanding of eukaryote-bacteria symbioses and for considering how symbiotic associations with bacteria may shaped the early evolution ...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 3, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Arielle Woznica Source Type: research

Shortcut citations in the methods section: Frequency, problems, and strategies for responsible reuse
by Kai Standvoss, Vartan Kazezian, Britta R. Lewke, Kathleen Bastian, Shambhavi Chidambaram, Subhi Arafat, Ubai Alsharif, Ana Herrera-Melendez, Anna-Delia Knipper, Bruna M. S. Seco, Nina Nitzan Soto, Orestis Rakitzis, Isa Steinecker, Philipp van Kronenberg Till, Fereshteh Zarebidaki, Parya Abbasi, Tracey L. Weissgerber Methods sections are often missing essential details. Methodological shortcut citations, in which authors cite previous papers instead of describing the method in detail, may contribute to this problem. This meta-research study used 3 approaches to examine shortcut citation use in neuroscience, biology, and...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 2, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Kai Standvoss Source Type: research

Visual perception of highly memorable images is mediated by a distributed network of ventral visual regions that enable a late memorability response
by Benjamin Lahner, Yalda Mohsenzadeh, Caitlin Mullin, Aude Oliva Behavioral and neuroscience studies in humans and primates have shown that memorability is an intrinsic property of an image that predicts its strength of encoding into and retrieval from memory. While previous work has independently probed when or where this memorability effect may occur in the human brain, a description of its spatiotemporal dynamics is missing. Here, we used representational similarity analysis (RSA) to combine functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with source-estimated magnetoencephalography (MEG) to simultaneously measure when a...
Source: PLoS Biology: Archived Table of Contents - April 1, 2024 Category: Biology Authors: Benjamin Lahner Source Type: research