Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler
Vincent, Alan, Rich, and Kathy review fatal avian influenza virus in harbor seals, and poxvirus deployment of genomic accordions to counter antiviral defenses.
Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV 198 (71 MB .mp3, 99 minutes).
There once was a virus named pox
Whose genome contained a squeeze-box
When placed under pressure
It expanded its measure
Overcoming the new cellular blocks
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Links for this episode:
- Avian influenza virus in harbor seals (mBio)
- Poxvirus genomic accordions (Cell)
- Red Queen hypothesis (Wikipedia)
- Squeeze box (The Who)
- TWiV on Facebook
- Letters read on TWiV 198
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Send your virology questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twiv@microbe.tv, or call them in to 908-312-0760. You can also post articles that you would like us to discuss at microbeworld.org and tag them with twiv.
I listen till the end!
Me too!
Hi Dr. Racaniello,
I was listening to TWIV 75 and noted the surprising comment
that influenza apparently does not evolve rapidly in domestic pigs. First, can
the domestic pig be an efficient influenza “mixing vessel” if it is
infrequently infected and produces little reassortment? Second, there is a
theory that the rapid movement of troops returning from WW1 in 1918 selected
for increased virulence of the Spanish Flu. (Virulent variants don’t need to
survive their hosts to propagate.) Wouldn’t the same concept apply to pigs, with
human handlers, high population densities, and agricultural fairs efficiently
transporting virus from pig to pig? I would expect selection for variants, or are my assumptions wrong?
Best,
Bruce
thank you for going over the red queen