Cauliflower mosaic virus reacts immediately when aphids feed on the host plant, and this boosts its chances of being taken up and transmitted by the insects to a new plant.

Simulations and experiments on systems containing two different populations of microorganisms show that interactions that benefit at least one of the populations can lead to communities with stable compositions, and that strong cooperation between two populations can lead to communities in which both populations are mixed together.

Long-lived intermediate states formed by glycoprotein catalysts are an essential part of the process used by influenza virus particles to infect cells.

Charybdotoxin, a toxin produced by scorpions, blocks a K⁺ channel by binding in a lock-and-key fashion to the mouth of the channel and presenting a lysine amino group, which serves as a K⁺ mimic in the selectivity filter.

Goblet cells secrete mucins—which are key components of mucus—in a process that is regulated by calcium ions, which enter the goblet cells via a mechanism involving a channel protein called TRPM5.

The ability of an enzyme called XPD helicase to unwind the double helix is influenced by the DNA sequence and the availability of energy.

When a protein involved in DNA repair malfunctions, it can anneal RNA molecules to DNA molecules, creating hybrids that increase the frequency of mutations in the DNA.

Plants implement arithmetic division to optimize use of carbohydrate reserves and thus maintain metabolism and growth at night.

Quantitative observations of single-molecule binding between antigen and T cell receptor (TCR) in living primary T cells reveals unbinding kinetics, stoichiometry and signaling molecule recruitment, providing insights into the mechanisms of antigen recognition by the immune system.

The basal body of the type-III secretion system of Yersinia enterocolitica within bacterial membranes shows elasticity and is longer than related isolated systems.