eLife: magazine

Examining the role of lipids in hearing

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The asymmetry of lipid membranes is tightly regulated in eukaryotic cells, and auditory hair cells are no exception.

How membranes shape up for lipid transfer

Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The extraction of a phospholipid called phosphatidic acid from the mitochondrial outer membrane is regulated by the curvature of this membrane.

Are kinocilia motile?

Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Gene expression patterns in the inner ear put an old question about structures called kinocilia back in motion.

The sound of neural silence

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A new fluorescent sensor makes it possible to track the neurotransmitter GABA in freely moving animals.

Does the brain really know what word is coming next?

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Apparent neural encoding of future words may arise from the statistical structure of language itself, rather than from predictive computations in the brain.

Taking the biology seriously makes models better

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A new biologically-informed training paradigm enables protein language models to predict affinity maturation trajectories for antibodies.

Hidden folds reveal brain organization

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Previously underappreciated folds in the cerebral cortex provide insight into how its structure varies across individuals.

Cocaine disrupts hidden states in the brain

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cocaine use disrupts the encoding of abstract states in the orbitofrontal cortex.

How enzymes make the right choice during biosynthesis

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The biosynthesis of an important biopolymer called hyaluronan requires an enzyme that discriminates between two different substrates.

Rethinking how memories are retrieved

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Patterns of neural activity called theta oscillations have a role in memory encoding but – contrary to current thinking – do not appear to have a role in memory retrieval.

Two binding sites are better than one

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The reasons why two multiprotein complexes – VPS34 complex I and VPS34 complex II – are activated by different Rab proteins are becoming clearer.

Reshaping human neurons

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Human neurons derived from stem cells show increased structural complexity and stronger synaptic connections after exposure to psilocin, the active metabolite of the psychedelic psilocybin.

A missing link for efflux pumps

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A lipoprotein called YbjP could be the answer to a puzzle about efflux pumps in gram-negative bacteria.

Bacteria weigh up costs and benefits of mobile weapons

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Gaining the ability to kill rival microbes is not always an advantage for bacteria in complex gut microbiomes.

Closing in on the causes of chronic neuropathic pain

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Chronic neuropathic pain in mice is maintained by the translation of messenger RNA in inhibitory neurons, so drugs that modulate translational pathways may be able to treat this condition.

Replacing the immune system of the brain

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A new method enables engineered immune progenitor cells to replace microglia in mice and reveals how a genetic mutation can lead to inflammation in the brain.

Ancient photoreceptor shapes behavioural responses

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Experiments on Drosophila show that an evolutionarily conserved photoreceptor that senses light outside of the retina can regulate responses to direct visual cues.

A sense of direction

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Migratory moths use both magnetic and visual cues for navigation when travelling long distances in the dark.

Scaling up efforts to target evolving viruses

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

High-throughput neutralisation tests could lead to a better understanding of the evolution of human influenza.

The discovery of the mammalian fusome

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The presence of an organelle called the fusome in species as diverse as Drosophila and mammals indicates an ancient, conserved programme of germ cell development.

Synaptic footprints of time in working memory

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Temporary changes in synapses may allow working memory to keep track of both events and their timing.

Redefining borders in the sensorimotor cortex

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Experiments mapping individual neurons in the sensorimotor cortex of mice show that sharp transitions in functional properties can define cortical regions.

Lipids challenge ligands to control receptors

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The behaviour of a receptor protein can be influenced by the presence of certain lipids in the membrane it is embedded in.

MRI sets its sights on collagen

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Reducing the echo time of a whole-body MRI scanner makes it possible to image collagen, an important structural protein found in bones and tendons.

The cellular logic of limb regeneration

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Hierarchical communication between cells with distinct positional memories orchestrates the regeneration of missing limb structures in axolotls.

Linking neuron-glia interactions and longevity

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Proteomics experiments on Drosophila reveal sex-specific effects in aging, and an important role for a protein called DIP-β.

Finding a role for non-coding DNA in trypanosomes

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Non-coding DNA is essential for both humans and trypanosomes, despite the large evolutionary divergence between these two species.

Lipid balance and chemoresistance in cancer cells

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A shift in the balance between two lipids – cholesterol and sphingomyelin – makes hybrid epithelial-mesenchymal cancer cells less responsive to certain chemotherapy drugs.

Probing the proteome

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Raman spectroscopy can be used to predict cellular physiology and proteome composition in E. coli.

Identifying new targets in the fight against opioids

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Experiments reveal that a time-dependent epistatic interaction influences how mice respond to opioids, and that intracellular fibroblast growth factors also influence opioid sensitivity.

Slowing the growth of drug-resistant tumors

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Using drugs that inhibit enzymes called CDK4/6 and CDK2 extends the G1 phase of the cell cycle and helps to slow the growth of drug-resistant breast cancer.

The little brain supervises learning in the big brain

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Experiments on mice reveal how the cerebellum modulates plasticity in the somatosensory cortex.

A surprising new hiding place for a dangerous pathogen

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The bacterium that causes TB can hide in liver cells called hepatocytes, and reprogram their metabolism for its own benefit.

Episode 101: December 2025

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:58:06 +0000

In this episode, we hear about the development of the visual system, nocebo effects versus placebos, cross-species insemination, telomere length, and efforts to recreate Darwin’s “warm little pond”.

Keeping track of moving targets

Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A new method for tracking the activity of individual neurons day after day in the growing brain has revealed a key developmental transition in neuronal activity.

How one nutrient controls cell size

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The metabolic fate of a nutrient called pyruvate determines how big cells become.

Twists and turns in the story of learned avoidance

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Evidence that learned avoidance of a pathogenic bacterium can be transmitted to future generations in C. elegans is growing.

Focus Issue: Trained Immunity

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 14:15:00 +0000

Our latest Focus Issue looks at what we’ve learnt over the past decade and what’s next for the field of trained immunity.

How Shigella tackles host defences

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The pathogenic bacteria Shigella avoids detection inside hosts cells by degrading RNF213, the protein responsible for sensing the presence of intracellular pathogens.

Exploring a crossroads in the aging process

Thu, 30 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Experiments on yeast show that the nuclear pore complex has a central role in the loss of chromosomes associated with aging.

How hunger guides new brain cells to their destination

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Blood flow and a hormone called ghrelin help new neurons travel to where they are meant to be in the brain of adult mice.

Probing the staying power of chemogenetics

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A study that monitored the expression and function of designer receptors called DREADDs in macaque monkeys for a period of three years demonstrates that they are effective in long-term studies of nonhuman primates.

Unlocking the longevity code with stress

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Manipulating the neuronal pathway responsible for the hypoxic stress response in the worm C. elegans leads to an increase in lifespan.

Tracing cell fates in embryos

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Differences in the activity of an enzyme called CARM1 influence the timing of blastomere polarization and whether they become part of the embryo or the placenta.

Targeting chromatin remodeling complexes to treat uveal melanoma

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A novel compound that inhibits the BAF chromatin remodeling complex causes regression in an animal model of the incurable cancer uveal melanoma.

Capturing enzymes in motion

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

A combination of cryogenic electron microscopy and molecular simulations has been used to study the structure and dynamics of an enzyme called ACE.

Exploring the origins of a signaling pathway

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The 19 Wnt proteins found in humans are part of a larger superfamily of proteins that are also found in Archaea and Bacteria.

Regulating closure of the neural tube in humans

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

An organoid-based screening platform that allows one-gene-at-a-time knockdown across a whole tissue has been used to identify the genes that regulate closure of the neural tube in humans.

Episode 100: September 2025

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 15:44:59 +0000

In this episode, we hear about poison frogs, gut microbiomes and disease, queen ants and gene therapy, tapeworms and epilepsy, and the double-edged nature of trained immunity.

Is ‘number sense’ a sense?

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Experiments on domestic chicks shed light on the links between brain lateralization and the left-to-right mental number line.