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The Virus That Makes a Disposable Syringe

By Guest PostDecember 28, 2013Sciencealpha helical molecules, application, bacteria, bacterial cell, bacteriophage, bentley fane, century long mystery, cryo electron tomography, DNA, dna transmitting structure, e coli bacteria, electron microscope, erica zbornik, host cells, infection, lindsey n young, michael rossmann, Nanotechnology, noninfectious, phix174, prey, purdue university, t7, tube shaped structure, university of arizona, viral, virus, xinzheng zhang

For decades, no one knew how a virus that preys on bacteria transfers its DNA into the host cells because it appeared to lack the structures other viruses use for that process. Now researchers have discovered how the virus does it – using a structure that might hold applications for nanotechnology.

A research team led by the University of Arizona and Purdue University has discovered something very unique about a virus that has been studied for decades: It has the ability to grow a temporary tube-shaped structure, enabling it to inject its DNA into the bacteria on which it preys. (more…)

Virus Caught in the Act of Infecting a Cell

By Guest PostJanuary 12, 2013Health, Scienceaustin, bacterium, bo hu, cryo electron tomography, ct scan, e coli, experimental evidence, feelers, fibers, genetic, genetic material, head, human hair, ian molineux, image, infect, infect a cell, infected cell membrane, infection, infection process, jun liu, protein, protein path, robot like process, structure, t7, texas, thickness, university, ut health, viral dna, virus, visualize, william margolin

About the video: watch an animation showing the changes in the structure of a T7 virus as it infects an E. coli bacterium.

AUSTIN, Texas — The detailed changes in the structure of a virus as it infects an E. coli bacterium have been observed for the first time, report researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health) Medical School this week in Science Express. (more…)

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The Virus That Makes a Disposable Syringe

Virus Caught in the Act of Infecting a Cell