TWiV 819: How to stall a copy machine

October 21, 2021

TWiV explains how remdesivir inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase: the drug is incorporated into the growing RNA chain and causes synthesis to stall when the drug clashes with an amino acid in the active site.

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

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Download TWiV 819 (60 MB .mp3, 101 min)
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Links for this episode

Weekly Picks 1:27:02

Kathy – Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland
RichHow to Temporarily Disable Your Keyboard with a Keyboard Shortcut in Windows
Alan – How to Make a Slave and Other Essays by Jerald Walker
VincentA structure for deoxyribose nucleic acid

Listener Picks

SteveHow the immune system actually works
LiseLise Meitner: A Life in Physics

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

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7 comments on “TWiV 819: How to stall a copy machine

  1. Thanks for explaining in simple words how to remdesivir inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase.

  2. Thanks for the pick on the physicist Lise Meitner. I had never heard of her and now I am researching her and am glad you brought her to my attention.

    • hightrekker Oct 23, 2021

      I also learned about Lise Meitner., someone unknown to me.
      Thanks!

  3. Loved hearing the letter from Lise regarding the history of her namesake, the physicist, Lise.

    Unrelatedly, I read in today’s Columbia Spectator that Columbia is designated as NYC Pandemic Response institute. Will Vincent be part of that?

  4. Wow! The best shout out from my favorite scientists! Yes, chest wall reconstruction is a serious business, and I love doing it—it’s “Pectacular”!
    David Bruce and I hope you enjoy all the Chattanooga “swag” in the box, and hope you’ll all come and do a TWiV from the “Scenic City” one day soon. Many thanks for continuing to be the engaged, enthusiastic science communicators that we have grown to count on in this pandemic.

  5. Chris Mathiason Nov 19, 2021

    Thanks twiv! Enjoy the show should the copyright dare be changed to 2021?