Virus infections initiate when virions bind to receptors on the cell surface. It is well known that cells can be made susceptible to infection by providing DNA encoding the virus receptor. For example, mice cannot be infected with poliovirus, but become susceptible if they are given the human poliovirus receptor gene. Now we have learned that providing the receptor protein …
Giving your neighbor the gift of virus susceptibility Read More »
The TWiVestigators wrap up 2016 with a discussion of the year’s ten compelling virology stories. You can find TWiV #422 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV422.mp3″] Click arrow to play Download TWiV 422 (71 MB .mp3, 117 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
The TWiVnauts present another example of an infectious but replication incompetent vaccine, an insect specific arborvirus bearing chikungunya virus structural proteins. You can find TWiV #421 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV421.mp3″] Click arrow to play Download TWiV 421 (67 MB .mp3, 112 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
A new breed of vaccines is on the horizon: they replicate in one type of cell, allowing for their production, but will not replicate in humans. Two different examples have recently been described for influenza and chikungunya viruses. The influenza virus vaccine is produced by introducing multiple amber (UAG) translation stop codons in multiple viral genes. …
The TWiV gurus describe how to use an orthogonal translation system to produce infectious but replication-incompetent influenza vaccines. You can find TWiV #420 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV420.mp3″] Click arrow to play Download TWiV 420 (70 MB .mp3, 116 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
In a recent editorial, the New York Times wrote about ‘the breakdown of a shared public reality built upon widely accepted facts’. As a scientist, I am appalled by the disdain for facts shown by many in this country, including the President-Elect. Unfortunately, science is not without its share of fake information. The Times argues that at one …
