Fermentation genes in a giant algal virus
The latest giant virus discovery is Tetraselmis virus 1, which infects green algae. It is unusual because it encodes enzymes involved in fermentation. Green beer, anyone?
Basic virology
A Lot of Buzz Around STING
By Gertrud U. Rey Gertrud Rey is a trained virologist residing in Atlanta, Georgia. During the day, she works as a consultant in a biotech patent law firm, but spends much of her free time as a science communicator. She was a guest on TWiV 179 and 424. The lack of a suitable animal model …
Mosquito blood feeding is not a free lunch
Imagine that we could change all the mosquitoes in the world so that they would no longer take a blood meal, and then consider the impact on transmission of viruses and parasites. Before you say impossible, you should know that Nature has already done it – not all mosquitoes take blood meals.
Virus Watch: Buckyball Viruses
In this short video, I show you how to make different types of virus particles using the small magnetic spheres called Buckyballs.
Only the ribosome is lacking
If you know anything about me, you know that I’m mad about viruses. Although this madness extends to everything viral, I have a peculiar fondness for giant viruses. A new giant virus has been found that not only looks different from all the others, but has an amazing set of genes.
Influenza virus in the eye
By Gertrud U. Rey Gertrud Rey is a trained virologist residing in Atlanta, Georgia. During the day, she works as a consultant in a biotech patent law firm, but spends much of her free time as a science communicator. She was a guest on TWiV 179 and 424. Although the dominant mode of transmission for …