TWiV 272: Give peas a chance

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

The TWiV team describes aphid control by using a viral capsid protein to deliver a spider toxin to plants, and a human endogenous retrovirus that enhances expression of a neuronal gene.

• Toxin delivery to plants by viral capsid protein (Nat Biotech)


• Pea enation mosaic virus (ViralZone)


• Image credit: Aphid membrane feeding chamber (Sci Rep)


• Aphid feeding chamber (YouTube)


• Parafilm (Wikipedia)


• Human endogenous retrovirus enhances neural gene (PNAS)


• Flu, common cold, alternative medicine (NCCAM)


• Cold vs flu (CDC)


• Phage hunters


• Bed bugs and infectious disease (PLoS Path)


• Letters read on TWiV 272

Alan - Statistical error (Nature)Rich - 12 oldest animal speciesDickson - When liquids collideVincent - HIV denial and just asking questionsKathy - Sun's canyon of fire

Sandra - Women physicists keep female students psychedJudi - HHMI's BiointeractiveJacob - Influenza virus HA

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