Some viruses that infect bacteria (bacteriophages) deliver their DNA into the host cell with an amazing injection machine. The tailed bacteriophages (such as T4, illustrated) store their DNA in a capsid attached to a long tail tube that is surrounded by a sheath. At the bottom of the tube is ...

On episode #29 of the podcast This Week in Microbiology, Vincent and Stanley review how a phage pierces the cell membrane with an iron-loaded spike, and two programmed cell death systems in E. coli. You can find TWiM #29 at microbeworld.org/twim.

Join us for a live-streaming episode of This Week in Virology from the Society for General Microbiology 2012 Spring Conference in Dublin, Ireland. My guests for this special episode are Connor Bamford, Wendy Barclay, Richard Elliott, and Ron Fouchier.  Watch the live stream below which starts on Monday, 26 March at 3:30 PM GMT (10:30 AM EST | ...

On episode #175 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Matt discuss herpes simplex encephalitis in children with innate immune deficiency, and the local response to microneedle-based influenza skin immunization. You can find TWiV #175 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.

A consequence of the recent warm weather in the northeastern United States is the emergence of crocuses, an event that I documented at the TWiV Facebook page. A reader replied that it reminded her of the highly valued tulips with beautiful variegations produced by viruses. In 17th-century Holland patterned tulips such ...