Virology
Har Gobind Khorana, master decoder
By Vincent Racaniello
Most students of elementary biology will have seen the table at left that depicts the genetic code. HG Khorana was one of several scientists who determined, in the 1960s, the amino acids specified by each three-letter combination of bases. As long as I have been at Columbia University I have ...
TWiP 32: Evasive trypanosomes and schistosomes
By Vincent Racaniello
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson discuss immune evasion by the cruzain protease of T. cruzi, and novel tetraspanin antigens of S. japonicum. [powerpress url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/twip/TWiP032.mp3"] Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiP #32 (65 MB .mp3, 90 minutes). Please help us by taking our listener ...
The viruses in your food
By Vincent Racaniello
At the recent Brazilian Virology Society meeting George Rohrmann gave me a copy of his book, Baculovirus Molecular Biology. Baculoviruses are double-stranded DNA containing viruses that infect insects and other arthropods. Early in the first chapter of George's book I learned that baculoviruses may be present on uncooked cabbage leaves: ...in ...
TWiV 156: Armed and targeted killer meta-analysis
By Vincent Racaniello
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Dickson Despommier Vincent, Rich, and Dickson review a meta-analysis on influenza vaccine, a killer virus in fungi that selects against RNAi, and the use of armed and targeted poxviruses for oncolytic virotherapy. Please help us by taking our listener survey. [powerpress url="http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV156.mp3"] Click the arrow ...
How good is the influenza vaccine?
By Vincent Racaniello
I hear from many readers that they routinely get the flu vaccine every year, yet they often contract the disease. I usually tell them that the vaccine is not perfect: it doesn't protect everyone who gets it. Now we have the numbers to back up this statement, and they are ...
