Intramembrane proteases identify target proteins in a different way from other proteases.

A genome-organizing protein that is present only in the olfactory system of mice has been found to orchestrate changes in the relative numbers of different odor-sensing neurons on the basis of how active these neurons are.

The first survey of the complete morphologies of nerve endings in the skin of mice has revealed enormous structural diversity.

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.

The nematode worm C. elegans consumes familiar bacterial species more rapidly than it does novel ones, and this preference for familiarity is mediated by a pair of serotonergic neurons.

Neurons in the hippocampus modulate the rates at which they fire, and the locations in which they fire, so as to encode the information that is central to forming memories about personal experiences.

Individual granule cells within the cerebellum-the region of the brain that coordinates movement and supports the learning of new motor skills-receive both sensory and motor input streams: an arrangement that may help the brain to use feedback to fine-tune movement.

eLife deputy editor Fiona M Watt recounts some of her personal experiences as a senior female academic in a male-dominated environment.

By using different groups of cells to represent distinct environments and events, the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus helps to keep memories of similar events separate.

A gene that codes for a transcription factor that is involved in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism also has a role in the regulation of circadian rhythms.