A Viral Risk Factor for Multiple Sclerosis
Several new lines of evidence suggest that Epstein-Barr virus infection may be a risk factor for the development of multiple sclerosis.
Basic virology
Capsids and nucleocapsids
One aspect of virology that is confusing to students is the concepts of capsids and nucleocapsids. These two terms describe two different ways that viral nucleic acids and proteins are arranged in virus particles. The capsid (from the Latin capsa for box) is the protein shell surrounding the nucleic acid genome. Below are two different …
An Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Candidate
Intranasal administration with a single dose of a chimpanzee adenovirus-vectored SARS-CoV-2 vaccine induces potent immune responses.
Going off on an Arc Tangent
A capsid-like protein derived from an ancient retrotransposon family may help regulate learning and memory.
Test prudently
by Amy B. Rosenfeld I do not advocate testing for any person vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 unless they display severe symptoms or live with those who for whom vaccines are not yet approved. I understand that testing and isolation are mechanisms to break virus transmission chains and were used at the beginning of the pandemic to …
A Viral Heist
HSV-1 virions capture the cellular motor protein kinesin from initially infected epithelial cells and ferry it to subsequently infected neuronal cells to deliver their genome into the nucleus of those cells.