eLife is pleased to present a Special Issue to highlight recent advances in the mechanistic understanding of microbiome function.

eLife has published papers on topics related to the molecular structure and functional mechanisms of a diverse array of ion channel proteins.

In vivo and in vitro approaches uncover a new function for the β-barrel OmpA and reveal how it interacts with the stress sensor lipoprotein RcsF.

Human vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) has a four transmembrane domain topology that supports the use of a homology model, enabling identification of active site residues and human variant impact.

Alternative splicing of a single gene generates functional diversity amongst chromatin regulators.

Extensive molecular profiling shows how loss of highly similar, paralogous ribosomal proteins lead to distinct phenotypic outputs, through translational control of specific mRNAs.

Selective activation of FZD7 signaling with an engineered WNT mimetic promotes early developmental programs, including endodermal lineage specification, in human pluripotent stem cells.

Loss of hepatic Cdk1 leads to oxidative stress, increased fatty acids in blood, and hyperinsulinemia, which resulted in insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, similar as in diabetes.

The primary respiratory defect seen in aged cardiomyocytes is an elevated proton leak mediated by ANT1, and this is prevented by treatment with SS-31 (elamipretide).

Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, paired with fluorescent, voltage-sensitive dyes, provides a method for measuring and quantifying membrane potentials of living cells.