Voltage-gated ion channels generate electrical currents that control muscle contraction, encode neuronal information, and trigger hormonal release. Tissue-specific expression of accessory (β) subunits causes these channels to generate currents with distinct properties. In the heart, KCNQ1 voltage-gated potassium channels coassemble with KCNE1 β-subunits to generate the IKs current (Barhanin et al., 1996; Sanguinetti et al., 1996), an important current for maintenance of stable heart rhythms. KCNE1 significantly modulates the gating, permeation, and pharmacology of KCNQ1 (Wrobel et al., 2012; Sun et al., 2012; Abbott, 2014). These changes are essential for the physiological role of IKs (Silva and Rudy, 2005); however, after 18 years of study, no coherent mechanism explaining how KCNE1 affects KCNQ1 has emerged. Here we provide evidence of such a mechanism, whereby, KCNE1 alters the state-dependent interactions that functionally couple the voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) to the pore.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03606.001

Highlights d In vivo screen for fibers targeting specific human gut taxa in a defined community d Proteomics and forward genetics identify bioactive nutrients and their utilization d Interspecies competition controls the outcome of fiberbased microbiota manipulation d Artificial food particles as biosensors of community-wide glycan degradation

Our data suggest that maturation of AVFs using objective criteria based on DDUS provides an opportunity to identify NAS problems in outflow veins before cannulation. Most of the of the AVF outflow veins (71.7%) could be transposed or superficialized using MIST, with excellent long-term outcomes.

Highlights d Fructoselysine (FL) is a common Maillard reaction product (MRP) in whey protein d FL selectively increases fitness of Collinsella intestinalis in gnotobiotic mice d C. intestinalis metabolizes FL via regulated transcription of a FL utilization locus d Gut bacteria may affect food safety through MRP degradation to harmless products

Antiferroelectric materials, where the transition between antipolar and polar phase is controlled by external electric fields, offer exceptional energy storage capacity with high efficiencies, giant electrocaloric effect, and superb electromechanical response. PbZrO3 is the first discovered and the archetypal antiferroelectric material. Nonetheless, substantial challenges in processing phase pure PbZrO3 have limited studies of the undoped composition, hindering understanding of the phase transitions in this material or unraveling the controversial origins of a low‐field ferroelectric phase observed in lead zirconate thin films. Leveraging highly oriented PbZrO3 thin films, a room‐temperature ferrielectric phase is observed in the absence of external electric fields, with modulations of amplitude and direction of the spontaneous polarization and large anisotropy for critical electric fields required for phase transition. The ferrielectric state observations are qualitatively consistent with theoretical predictions, and correlate with very high dielectric tunability, and ultrahigh strains (up to 1.1%). This work suggests a need for re‐evaluation of the fundamental science of antiferroelectricity in this archetypal material.