On episode #372 of the science show This Week in Virology, the TWiV-osphere introduces influenza D virus, virus-like particles encoded in the wasp genome which protect its eggs from caterpillar immunity, and a cytomegalovirus protein which counters a host restriction protein that prevents establishment of latency. You can find TWiV #372 at microbe.tv/twiv
On episode #356 of the science show This Week in Virology, Stephanie joins the super professors to discuss the gut virome of children with serious malnutrition, caterpillar genes acquired from parasitic wasps, and the effect of adding chemokines to a simian immunodeficiency virus DNA vaccine. You can find TWiV #356 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
Parasitic wasps (in the order Hymenoptera) inject their eggs into lepidopteran hosts, where the eggs go through their developmental stages. Along with the eggs, the wasps also deliver viruses carrying genes encoding proteins that inhibit caterpillar immune defenses. Some of these genes are permanently transferred to the lepidopteran host where they have assumed new defensive functions against other …
Wasps do a gain-of-function experiment in caterpillars Read More »
On episode #179 of the science show This Week in Virology, Gertrud joins the TWiVoners to review how dengue virus infection of mosquitoes alters blood feeding behavior, and gene therapy as practiced by parasitoid wasps. You can find TWiV #179 at www.microbe.tv/twiv.
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Marc Pelletier On episode #88 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Alan, and Marc discuss using a virus for beetle control, RNA based gene therapy for AIDS, and reconstitution of a endogenous human retrovirus. This episode is sponsored by Data Robotics Inc. Use the promotion code TWIVPOD to receive …
TWiV 88: A bug fix, an AIDS treatment, and an undead retrovirus Read More »
Endoparasitic wasps inject their eggs into moth or butterfly larvae, which are cannibalized as the eggs mature and develop into adult wasps. The wasp larvae survive in the caterpillars because the eggs are injected together with virus particles called polydnaviruses. These viruses replicate in cells of the caterpillar, and their genomes express proteins that modify …
