This Week in Virology

TWiV 377: Chicken with a side of Zika

February 21, 2016

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

The TWiVniks review the past week’s findings on Zika virus and microcephaly, and reveal a chicken protein that provides insight on the restriction of transmission of avian influenza viruses to humans.

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Links for this episode

Larvicide not involved in microcephaly (CBS News) 9:35
Obama seeks $1.8b for Zika virus (Guardian) 13:40
Zika virus in Puerto Rico (MMWR) 22:20
Zika virus in semen (EID) 26:10
Zika virus in Indonesia (EID) 28:35
Phylogeny of Zika virus (EID) 30:15
Zika virus may cause mental disease (NYTimes) 32:35
Zika virus from amniotic fluid (Lancet) 35:00
Host protein underlies avian influenza host restriction (Nature) 40:40
Wendy Barclay on TWiV 177 41:10
Home to roost (Cell)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiV 377 4:55, 1:07:05

This episode is sponsored by 32nd Clinical Virology Symposium and Microbe Magazine Podcast

Weekly Science Picks 1:17:15

Alan – CDC vaccine quiz
Dickson – A telescope so powerful
Vincent – Virology Lectures 2016 (virology blog, iTunes U)
Rich – Ion propulsion (Wiki)
Kathy – Spurious Correlations

Listener Pick

Johnye – Magellan telescope and van Egmond photograpy at Kids Should See This

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 376: The flavi of the month is Zika

February 14, 2016

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

Guest: Jeremy Luban

The TWiV team discusses the latest data on Zika virus, including ocular defects in infants with microcephaly, and isolation of the entire viral genome from fetal brain tissue.

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Links for this episode

Ocular findings in infants with microcephaly (JAMA and Arq Bras Oft) 14:45
Evidence of Zika virus infection in brain and placenta (MMWR) 27:10
Zika virus associated with microcephaly (NEJM) 33:55
Hard-core sequencing (Science) 42:30
Zika virus and microcephaly (virology blog) 1:06:25
Zika virus in the Americas (NEJM) 1:04:40
JEV and WNV transplacental infections 1:06:25
Rubella virus facts (WHO) 1:05:20
Share your Zika virus reagents (virology blog) 55:35
No link between anencephaly and Cache Valley Virus (EID) 1:16:35
Image credit
Letters read on TWiV 376 6:45, 1:14:00

This episode is sponsored by 32nd Clinical Virology Symposium and ASM Microbe 2016 5:15, 1:12:35

Weekly Science Picks 1:33:00

Alan – PhD Comics on gravitational waves
Dickson – 25 years of Hubble
Vincent – Amazon AWS TOS and Confirming Einstein
Rich – Mosquito mass production
Kathy – TileApp
Jeremy – IL17A and autism and The Perfect Theory by Pedro Ferreira

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 375: Zika and you will find

February 7, 2016

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

Guests: Carolyn Coyne, Helen Lazear, and Jeremy Luban

The TWiVziks present everything you want to know about Zika virus, including association of infection with microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome, transmission, epidemiology, and much more.

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Links for this episode

Zika outbreak in Brazil (EID) 13:40
Zika summary (ProMedMail) 19:30
Zika and microcephaly (MMWR) 27:30
Facts about microcephaly (CDC)
Brazil Ministry of Health microcephaly numbers
Zika spread in Americas (MMWR)
Deu Zica 42:30
Microcephaly in Brazil (Lancet) 46:10
GM mosquitoes did not start Zika outbreak (Discover) 1:31:30
Debunking myths around Zika (Mad Virologist)
Sexual transmission vs sexually transmissible (virology blog) 1:22:10
CDC Zika travel guidance 1:15:45
CDC on Zika and sex 1:17:10
Image credit: Esper Kallas, University of Sao Paulo
Letters read on TWiV 375

This episode is sponsored by 32nd Clinical Virology Symposium and ASM Grant Writing Webinar 7:50, 1:49:50

Weekly Science Picks 1:50:45

Alan – Jetstream Online School for Weather
Vincent – New virus watercolors from Michele Banks (one, two)
Rich – The Mad Virologist (Facebook, blog)
Kathy – Orcas in Antarctica
Jeremy – Pardis Sabeti on TED
Helen – Science Valentines
Carolyn – Three letter word missing from Zika warnings

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

Photos below from Esper Kallas, University of Sao Paulo, mentioned in this episode.

TWiV 374: Discordance in B

January 31, 2016

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

The TWiVniks consider the role of a cell enzyme that removes a protein linked to the 5′-end of the picornavirus genome, and the connection between malaria, Epstein-Barr virus, and endemic Burkitt’s lymphoma.

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Links for this episode

Divergent requirements for removing VPg (mBio) 12:10
Bond, covalent bond (TWiV 210) 13:45
Link between malaria and endemic Burkitt’s lymphoma (PLoS Path) 36:50
Multifactorial role of malaria in Burkitt’s lymphoma (PLoS Path) 47:30
Plasmodium infection promotes AID-dependent B cell lymphoma (Cell) 55:55
Children’s cancer dependent on climatic factors (Nature) 38:30
Denis Burkitt (Wikipedia) 38:20
Request for PACE trial data (virology blog)
Letters read on TWiV 374 1:09:30

This episode is sponsored by 32nd Clinical Virology Symposium and ASM Grant Writing Webinar 4:50, 1:08:10

Weekly Science Picks 1:33:15

Alan – Indoor skydiving
Vincent – Cancer Virus by Crawford, Johannessen, and Rickinson
Rich – Wit
Kathy – The Only Woman in the Room by Eileen Pollack
Dickson – Show everyone your clinical data

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 373: The distinguished virology career of Julius S. Youngner

January 24, 2016

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guest: Julius S. Youngner

Vincent speaks with Julius about his long career in virology, including his crucial work as part of the team at the University of Pittsburgh that developed the Salk inactivated poliovirus vaccine.

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Links for this episode

Trypsin for cell cultures (Proc Soc Exp Biol Med)
Interferon induction by nonviral stimuli (J Gen Physiol)
Interferons of different molecular weight (Proc Soc Exp Biol Med)
Poliovirus thermal mutants (J Bacteriol)
Combination of different cells in culture (Science)
Equine influenza vaccine (Eq Vet J)
Youngner role in Salk vaccine (interview, amednews)
Cutter Incident (JRSM)
Video of this episode – view above or at YouTube

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 372: Latent viral tendencies

January 17, 2016

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

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 that counters a host restriction protein which prevents establishment of latency.

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Links for this episode

Ebolavirus update (ProMedMail) 21:20
Influenza D virus (mBio) 22:45
Vincent’s influenza C virus paper (J Virol) 25:00
Virus-like particles protect wasp eggs (Sci Adv) 36:45
CMV protein foils cell defense against latency (Sci Adv) 50:55
Image credit: Mark
Letters read on TWiV 372 3:50, 1:27:00

This episode is sponsored by ASM Grant Writing Webinar and ASM Biodefense

Weekly Science Picks 1:45:25

Alan – Go viral
Vincent – 3D virus popsicles (3ders, dangerous popsicles)
Rich – Galileo thermometer
Kathy – Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe

Listener Picks

Christiane – Using PowerPoint to shine

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 371: Sympathy for the devil

January 10, 2016

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

The TWiVologists discuss the finding of a second transmissible cancer in Tasmanian devils, and development of new poliovirus strains for the production of inactivated vaccine in the post-eradication era.

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Links for this episode

Second transmissible cancer in Tasmanian Devils (PNAS) 22:45
New strains for production of IPV (PLoS Path) 55:45
Synchronized switch to bivalent OPV (polioeradication.org) 50:30
Virologists, start your poliovirus destruction (virology blog) 1:15:45
Image is a painting by George Kush
Letters read on TWiV 371 9:00, 1:22:00

This episode is sponsored by ASM Grant Writing Webinar and ASM Biodefense 4:30, 1:20:55

Weekly Science Picks 1:48:55

Alan – Skyfaring by Mark Vanhoenacker
Vincent – Your Cells. Their Research. Your permission?
Rich – NASA UV photos of the sun
Kathy – Aurora bike lights
Dickson – Unfilled vials

Listener Picks

Kevin – John Oliver on nutritional supplements
Jim – Tour of Australian synchrotron

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 370: Ten out of 15

January 4, 2016

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler

The TWiVomics review ten captivating virology stories from 2015.

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Ten virology stories from 2015

Recoding to make vaccines and study viral functions: TWiV 351: The dengue code and TWiV 362: Gotta catch ’em all and new paper 52:30
Defining the virome: TWiV 365: Blood, feuds, and a foodborne disease, TWiV 362: Gotta catch ’em all, TWiV 356: Got viruses?, TWiV 355: Baby’s first virome, TWiV 342: Public epitope #1, TWiV 323: A skid loader full of viromes 55:55
Ebola outbreak wanes, vaccines tested, persistence noted: TWiV 361: Zombie viruses on the loose, TWiV 349: One ring to vaccinate them all, TWiV 341: Ebolavirus experiences, TWiV 336: Brought to you by the letters H, N, P, and Eye, TWiV 335: Ebola lite 1:00:10
Spillovers and scares: TWiV 347: Rose rosette and squirrel roulette, TWiV 351: The dengue code, TWiV 364: It’s not SARS 2.0, TWiV 365: Blood, feuds, and a foodborne disease 1:05:00
The “Gain of Function” debate continues: TWiV 321: aTrip and a pause, TWiV 351: The dengue code, TWiV 354: The cat in the HAART, TWiV 363: Eat flu and dyad, and the NSABB’s new draft report 1:09:10
Detailed mechanisms of pathogenesis: TWiV 336: Brought to you by the letters H, N, P, and eye, and TWiV 345: How a vaccine got the nod – plus numerous episodes (324, 328, 329, 330, 339, 343, 349, 353, 369) where we talked about basic research that undergirds these clinically important discoveries. 1:16:50
Dengue vaccines: Trial TWiV 319: Breaking breakbone. Dengvaxia was licensed in December in Mexico, Philippines, and Brazil (12/28); paper we didn’t have time to cover about broadly neutralizing Abs from viremic patients and another paper from same group with X-ray crystal structure of Ab + gpE. 1:22:35
Why do some RNA viruses undergo antigenic variation and others do not? TWiV 340: No shift, measles 1:28:40
TWiV 346: A double helical career 1:32:40
TWiV 345: How a vaccine got the nod 1:33:45
Letters read on TWiV 370 9:35

This episode is sponsored by ASM Microbe and ASM Biodefense 6:00, 1:37:35

Weekly Science Picks 1:38:20

Alan – Scientifics online
Vincent – Giant squid in Tokyo Harbor
Kathy – A Year of Sky

Listener Picks

Daniel – Paper Life
Stephen – How to deal with science denialists
Venkat – Kabisa

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 369: Camel runny noses and other JNK

December 27, 2015

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, and Kathy Spindler

A swarm of virologists discusses testing of a MERS coronavirus vaccine for camels, and how a neuronal stress pathway reactivates herpes simplex virus.

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Links for this episode

MERS coronavirus vaccine for camels (Science) 22:45
WHO MERS summary
Neuronal stress pathway and herpes simplex virus reactivation (Cell Host Micr) 44:30
NGF pathway and HSV reactivation (pdf; thanks Anna!)
Stress flips a chromatin switch (Cell Host Micr)
How herpes simplex virus reactivates (UNC press release)
Histone antibodies database 1:06:50
New antibody portal (UNC press release)
Image credit
Letters read on TWiV 369 7:35, 1:30:15

This episode is sponsored by Clinical Virology Symposium 3:30

Weekly Science Picks 1:47:00

Alan – SpaceX Falcon 9 landing
Vincent – Scientists: Engage the public! and Lego contest winners
Kathy – Google Ngram viewer

Listener Picks

Dennis – Americapox: The missing plague
Mark – WeatherSpark and Quasispecies theory

Send your virology questions and comments to [email protected]

TWiV 368: Infected, you will be

December 20, 2015

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

A plaque of virologists explores the biology of Zika virus and recent outbreaks, and the contribution of a filamentous bacteriophage to the development of biofilms.

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Links for this episode

More cowbell (Wikipedia) 7:50
Microcephaly in Brazil (Outbreak News) 18:40
Non-vector borne Zika transmission (EID) 30:40
Zika virus outside Africa (EID) 29:20
Zika virus possible sexual transmission (EID) 32:50
Zika virus in saliva (J Clin Virol) 32:10
Dengue’s cousin Zika (Micr Inf) 34:25
Filamentous phage promote biofilm assembly (Cell Host Micr) 38:40
Biofilm history (MSU) 41:10
Pseudomonas phage Pf1 45:10
Image credit
Letters read on TWiV 368 11:10, 1:13:15
This episode is sponsored by Clinical Virology Symposium and ASM Microbe 5:55, 1:12:05