The wasps that tamed viruses
Some insects have transformed wild viruses into tiny biological weapons. Enlarge / Xorides praecatorius is a parasitoid wasp. (credit: TorriPhoto via Getty) If you puncture the ovary of a wasp called Microplitis demolito.....»»
Research reveals plant pathogens repurpose phage elements for bacterial warfare
Bacteriophages, viruses that attack and destroy bacteria, are everywhere in the natural world where they play a vital role in regulating microbe populations in ways that are not yet well understood......»»
Bird flu virus from Texas human case kills 100% of ferrets in CDC study
H5N1 bird flu viruses have shown to be lethal in ferret model before. Enlarge (credit: Getty | Yui Mok) The strain of H5N1 bird flu isolated from a dairy worker in Texas was 100 percent fatal in ferrets used to model inf.....»»
Diploid males in Argentine ants provide insight into sex determination
What establishes the male or female sex of an ant? In humans, it is X and Y chromosomes that assume this function: Women have two X chromosomes while men have one X and one Y chromosome. In ants, bees, and wasps, the factor contributing to sex determ.....»»
Elephant seal outbreak marks first transnational spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in mammals
Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses are becoming increasingly flexible and are adapting to mammals in new ways that could have global consequences for humans, wildlife and livestock, according to a new study of a massive outbreak among ele.....»»
Giant viruses discovered on Greenland ice sheet could reduce ice melt
Every spring when the sun rises in the Arctic after months of darkness, life returns. The polar bears pop up from their winter lairs, the Arctic tern soar back from their long journey south, and the musk oxen wade north......»»
A new way to see viruses in action: Super-resolution microscopy provides a nano-scale look
A new, nano-scale look at how the SARS-CoV-2 virus replicates in cells may offer greater precision in drug development, a Stanford University team reports in Nature Communications. Using advanced microscopy techniques, the researchers produced what m.....»»
DNA analysis reveals that there are more species of parasitoid wasps than anticipated
When Charles Darwin first encountered parasitoid wasps, he was horrified. In an 1860 letter to American botanist Asa Gray, he wrote: "I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created parasitic wasps with the.....»»
A merger of microbes: Study shows low-nutrient conditions alter viral infection
This much we know: When viruses infect bacteria—a common occurrence in oceans, soils, even human guts—the interaction results in the creation of entirely new organisms called "virocells." But scientists are still learning about how this merger of.....»»
The Complex Social Lives of Viruses
New research has uncovered a social world full of cheating, cooperation, and other intrigues, suggesting that viruses make sense only as members of a community......»»
Bacterial proteins shed light on antiviral immunity
A unique collaboration between two UT Southwestern Medical Center labs—one that studies bacteria and another that studies viruses—has identified two immune proteins that appear key to fighting infections. The findings, published in PLOS Pathogens.....»»
Mystery CRISPR unlocked: A new ally against antibiotic resistance?
CRISPR-Cas systems have revolutionized biotechnology by offering ways to edit genes like a pair of programmable scissors. In nature, bacteria use these systems to fight off deadly viruses. A recent international collaboration led by the University of.....»»
AI can help researchers understand what viruses are up to in the oceans and in your gut
Viruses are a mysterious and poorly understood force in microbial ecosystems. Researchers know they can infect, kill and manipulate human and bacterial cells in nearly every environment, from the oceans to your gut. But scientists don't yet have a fu.....»»
The wasps that tamed viruses
Some insects have transformed wild viruses into tiny biological weapons. Enlarge / Xorides praecatorius is a parasitoid wasp. (credit: TorriPhoto via Getty) If you puncture the ovary of a wasp called Microplitis demolito.....»»
Researchers discover key functions of therapeutically promising jumbo viruses
Antibiotic medicines became a popular treatment for bacterial infections in the early 20th century and emerged as a transformational tool in human health. Through the middle of the century, novel antibiotics were regularly developed in the medication.....»»
How polyps of the moon jellyfish repel viral attacks on their microbiome
Bacteriophages, or phages for short, are viruses that infect bacteria and kill them through a lysis process. Phages can kill bacteria on or in a multicellular host organism, such as the polyp of the moon jellyfish. Phages specialize in specific bacte.....»»
Machine learning classifies 191 of the world"s most damaging viruses
Researchers from the University of Waterloo have successfully classified 191 previously unidentified astroviruses using a new machine learning-enabled classification process......»»
Plant science research paves the way for deeper understanding of how the plant immune system functions
Researchers in the laboratory of Tessa Burch-Smith, Ph.D. at the Danforth Plant Science Center and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are conducting pioneering work to discover how plants transmit information, important molecules, and viruses be.....»»
Study details a common bacterial defense against viral infection
One of the many secrets to bacteria's success is their ability to defend themselves from viruses, called phages, that infect bacteria and use their cellular machinery to make copies of themselves......»»
Engineers muffle invading pathogens with a "molecular mask"
Vaccines remain the gold standard of protection against dangerous pathogens, but take considerable time and vast resources to develop. Rapidly mutating viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can blunt their effectiveness and even render them obsolete......»»
Does your Mac need antivirus software in 2024? We asked the experts
Apple’s Macs are seen as more secure than Windows PCs, but they can still get viruses. Should you protect yours with an antivirus app? We asked the experts......»»