Virology

TWiV 432: Conjunction junction, what’s your function?

The TWiVites discuss Zika virus seroprevalence in wild monkeys, Zika virus mRNA vaccines, and a gamete fusion protein inherited from viruses. You can find TWiV #432 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 432 (65 MB .mp3, 108 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!

Did viruses enable sex?

Dengue virus E glycoproteins (monomer at top) lie flat on the virus particle as dimers (middle). At endosomal low pH, three monomers reorient to place the fusion peptide (orange) into the cell membrane. Image credit. A key step in sexual reproduction is the fusion of haploid cells to form a diploid zygote, yet ...

TWiV 431: Niemann-Pick of the weak

The TWiVirions reveal bacteriophage genes that control eukaryotic reproduction, and the biochemical basis for increased Ebolavirus glycoprotein activity during the recent outbreak. You can find TWiV #431 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 431 (71 MB .mp3, 118 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!

A virus that controls reproduction

The obligate intracellular bacteria Wolbachia (pictured), which infects 40% of arthropods, can manipulate its host to ensure its maintenance in the population. An example is cytoplasmic incompatibility, which occurs when infected males mate with uninfected females, and causes embryonic lethality (mating with an infected female produces viable offspring). Two Wolbachia genes ...

TWiV 430: The persistence of herpesvirus

The TWiX cabal discuss sexual transmission of Zika virus in mice, and how immune escape enables herpes simplex virus escape from latency. You can find TWiV #430 at microbe.tv/twiv, or listen below. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 430 (63 MB .mp3, 104 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV!
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